Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Tánaiste knows very well that the company has made it absolutely clear that it will not be flexible or collect the 18,000 bins that would have to be collected every week. It is a little disingenuous of him to state he is just going to stand back while the city is overcome by a huge amount of uncollected rubbish. There is a serious health hazard and the Government has a responsibility for public health. Therefore, for it to wash its hands of this issue is disingenuous.

We are but a month from St. Patrick's Day, when thousands of people from home and abroad will visit the city. We want the city to be showcased to the world at such times. Due to the ineptitude of the Government and the Government parties, which control Dublin City Council, it is, unfortunately, quite likely that visitors leaving Ireland will refer to Dublin as "dear old dirty Dublin". We do not want that.

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