Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

I have always been opposed to the privatisation of services in urban areas, even if we can argue until the cows come home about the country. Dublin City Council has indicated that it is giving consideration to privatising its service. That is already a stark reality at South Dublin County Council where a standard charge is being imposed and where there has been a move against all the principles in terms of the polluter pays, recycling and so on. Privatisation was sold in various locations on the basis that there would be adherence to those principles.

There are many people in receipt of waivers from the various local authorities who are struggling in difficult circumstances. I am not sure how much influence the Minister has in this matter but I urge him to put pressure on private companies to retain those waivers. We should not simply accept that such provisions cannot be accommodated in an open market; we must have standards to which we adhere, which accord with the principles that were presented to people.

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