Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called for a joint labour committee to be set up in this sector. Of course, in reality it should be brought back into public ownership, as Senator Norris has pointed out. However, if we cannot achieve that because it is against Fine Gael ideology, then at least the Government should set up decent standards for the industry. Again, it is nothing we will ever hear about from Fine Gael. Having said that, I invite the Minister, if he so wishes, to make an announcement of support for a joint labour committee. All Members would welcome it, but somehow I think that is unlikely. It is a scandalous industry, an industry with terms and conditions that have been destroyed. There is no permanency of tenure, appalling rates of pay and poverty wages.

I will return to the key point. We had an opportunity to actually make a difference. Let us consider the phrase "new politics". There is new politics for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in that they are now joined at the hip, and I congratulate them on it. However, it is a case of old politics for the rest of us. We could have made a real difference today to struggling working families by annulling the statutory instrument.We could have legislative change that would have protected hard-pressed working families. Unfortunately, our colleagues in Fianna Fáil chose not to do that. Instead, they came up with a long-winded piece of waffle which kicks the can down the road and enables waste companies to have a fresh cut at upping charges in 12 months’ time. Fianna Fáil decided to duck legislative change and swap it instead for a wish list which has no legal enforcement. We know the proposed hikes in charges were wrong and this is what the bin companies planned to do. Does anyone seriously believe they will not make this move again at the first available opportunity?

Fianna Fáil in particular had a choice today. It could have stood with the people or with the Government. It chose the latter, however. We are all the poorer in this Chamber for that lack of courage in facing the Government down on this issue.