David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to strongly support the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, in his decision to take on the bin companies, particularly in Dublin. Privatisation was a great mistake. If six companies, or thereabouts, can make a profit out of the bins, why on earth can the employees of the State not make a profit out of one company? That should have been insisted upon by the city authorities. One of the companies to which they granted a contract was found guilty of fraud and had to repay Córas Iompair Éireann, CIE, over €1 million. Its financial records are secreted in the Isle of Man so nobody knows how much profit it makes. The situation has become just like that created by the Neapolitan mafia with parks where collection vehicles are bombed and burnt out, yet nothing seemed to have been done until the Minister appeared to go in and act.

I speak with some passion on this because I live in the heart of the city in a street that is 98% residential but for some reason is classified as city industrial. As a result there is a collection every day of the week until 1.30 a.m. with trucks that make an enormous noise and disturbance. I constantly listen to official spokespeople saying nobody lives in the city but here we are. We are not just the restorationists. What about their own bloody constituents? What about the people put in local authority housing all over the city? Are they not human? Do they not live in the city? Do they not have rights?

In the north inner city we have had enough. Enough is enough of being ignored and regarded as a dumping ground for every self-help organisation for people with alcohol and drug problems or who are homeless. I have spoken passionately on these issues and I am on the side of the underdog and this is not NIMBYism. I am not saying "Not in my backyard". I am serving notice on the authorities: our backyard is full.

Recently Dublin City Council planned to take over the Bunkhouse Hostel on the corner of North Great George's Street and Parnell Street to house homeless people. How much respect does that show for homeless people, that they can be put in tiered bunks in temporary accommodation? How much responsibility does it show towards people like us who live there? It is not NIMBYism. Our backyard is full. Let us see the next drug or alcohol rehabilitation centre, or the next homeless centre, located in Ailesbury Road. I understand there is plenty of property there as a result of the financial collapse that would be well able to accommodate some of these unfortunate people where they could get the kind of treatment they need in the kind of circumstances to which they are entitled.