David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I cannot accept the Minister's response again. I have to press this amendment because her response would be akin to taxi drivers not being properly regulated or operating without a taxi licence. Saying that this could have an impact on competition could encourage a race to the bottom. We know that for those responsible people who have licences and operate within the law there are huge costs associated with that. For example, the cost of the landfill levy for waste disposal has increased. There are huge costs associated with this industry. Those who operate within the law and regulations, are properly licensed and do all the right things are being undercut by rogue collectors. What the amendments seek to do is the opposite to what the Minister of State said they would do. They make perfect sense. I suspect this will be one of those Bills for which the Minister of State will come back to the House with an amending Bill. She has already made amendments to it that have nothing to do with the Bill. I will let the irony of that pass, but the amendments we have tabled are a genuine attempt to strengthen the Bill and clamp down on illegal operators and illegal dumping. I am disappointed the Minister of State is not in a position to accept the amendments, so we have no choice but to press them when we get the opportunity.