Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The root of the current problem goes back to the decisions made to hand the industry over to the private sector, where the driver is profit and increased profit. Businesses are entitled to make profits but we have questions over the extent of the profit, especially when it is coming from exploitation. We know that some of these companies have their accounts in other jurisdictions, so I really would like to know exactly what they are contributing to our economy.

As some of us submitted in the amendment, my preference is to go back to the local authority system. Failing that, I agree with the paying by weight. Before this controversy, I was meeting senior citizens, in particular, and people living alone who were paying for weekly and fortnightly collections of their bins which they absolutely did not need. The minimum charges of 11 cent per kg, 6 cent per kg and zero cost are acceptable but the problem arose because we do not have maximum levels. If the driver is profit, the sky is the limit, as we are seeing. It is totally ironic that in a system which, according to the previous Minister, was meant to see reductions for 87% of people, no change for 8.4% of people and an increase for a small number of people that the total opposite has happened. We are also seeing the undermining of efforts by people to cut down and recycle more.

State intervention was needed, so I acknowledge the speedy intervention of the Minister. However, the problem is not going away but merely being postponed and we now have a year to examine these issues.

Waivers are absolutely vital.

The north inner city is, in the main, going to continue with bags because there are so many houses that do not have a storage space. However, before the current controversy these people were being harassed by the waste companies to take bins. These bins were being left out on the street and became a health and safety issue. A more creative approach is needed and we need to look at best practice in other countries. Another issue is the amount of waste which is generated through packaging. The big polluters should be paying more.

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