Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Last Friday night, a cohort of 11,000 customers of a waste collection company based in Cork by the name of Country Clean, which provides waste services in both Cork city and Cork county, received a text from it. The text indicated that, as of Monday last, there would be an increase in the pay-per-lift charge. The pay-per-lift for general waste was to increase from €8 per lift to €12 per lift, and for recyclable waste from €4 per lift to €7 per lift. Customers were also asked to increase the amount that they had in their accounts on standby for payment from €20 to €22.

The Minister, Deputy Coveney, came in to the House only a matter of weeks ago stating he had an agreement - it was dubbed in the House "a gentleman's agreement" - with the Irish Waste Management Association, the representative organisation for the waste collection companies. The Minister gave a guarantee to the House and to customers that there would be no price hikes for 12 months. I put it to the Minister of State, Deputy English, that this is a clear breach. Not only is it a price hike, it is a price of hike in the region of 50%.

I am asking for action. Country Clean has gone to ground. The company is not taking phone calls from radio stations or anything of the like, and I am asking for action from the Government. The Minister stated in June that legislation would be brought in to enforce a price cap in the event of breaches of this kind. What action does the Minister intend to take to stop this from happening to these 11,000 customers?

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