Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

We discussed this at some length on Committee Stage and I do not propose to accept an amendment that would compel any local authority to provide a mandatory system of waivers in respect of all or part of waste charges. I am maintaining the status quo that works extremely well across the State. The local authorities are not currently under an obligation to provide for waivers in respect of waste charges and it will remain a matter, as it is currently, for each manager in the local authority to determine whether to provide for a waiver of waste charges and to decide the parameters of such a scheme. In practice, I would expect local authority managers, when they exercise the proposed new power, to continue to address the need for waivers for low income householders in a sensitive and sympathetic manner.

I see no merit in a mandatory requirement regarding waivers where the letter of any such legal requirement could be fulfilled without providing meaningful relief to the waiver recipients. From what I have heard from colleagues in all parties and councillors from across the State, this works in a harmonious way. If it is not broken I am not going to fix it.