First, I congratulate Senator Paul Coghlan on his election yesterday as Leas-Chathaoirleach. I know that he will be fair and prudent like the Cathaoirleach. I express my congratulations to him and his family. I have known one of his daughters, Aoife, for a long time as I was in the Gaeltacht with her almost 20 years ago.

I wish to address the House on the tragic death of a nurse at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. While the matter is being looked into by An Garda Síochána, I express my sympathy and that of Fianna Fáil to her work colleagues and family.

There is a growing sense of fear and frustration among families about reports that bin charges could be on the rise again from 1 July. Any rise in charges is a struggle as people are still doing their utmost to pay their mortgage and other bills. The policy change agreed to by the former Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, to pay by weight could result in charges increasing from €200 to €400 a year. That is unrealistic and completely unfair. Last January the former Minister had the audacity to state the pay-by-weight system would result in savings of 87% for customers. Instead, they face a doubling of bin charges. Unless action is taken now, Members will face a situation that could quickly become uncontrollable. Waste will be disposed of illegally and there will be chaos in the making of payments. People are faced with a double whammy of standard fees being increased under the pay-by-weight system which will add extra costs.

The reaction on Joe Duffy's radio show in recent days has come from reasonable people with genuine concerns and lectures on competition will not resolve the issue. There are no exemptions for low-income households, the infirm or people with young children. In today's edition of The Irish Times Miriam Lord describes it as "the wheelie bins are coming". Unless the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, takes immediate action to address the genuine concerns expressed, we will be faced with marches on the streets and more people being unable to pay bin charges, with which they have been co-operating in recent years. The pay-by-weight system will penalise families with young children, particularly those in the nappy stage. Families tend to produce more rubbish. Options for recycling have already dwindled in the city and there are no substantial plans to have an education system to advise people on how to keep waste to a minimum. The Government must listen to the concerns being expressed and not keep ignoring the problem in the hope it will go away, as it will not. I call on the Minister to come to the House to explain the actions he intends to take to address this problem and to address the exorbitant bin charges that are being sold to Members as climate change measures. Personally, I do not buy this.