Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

340. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has notified all operators of the Government's decision to suspend pay-by-weight bin charges; his plans to stop private operators who have introduced the pay-by-weight bin charges since 1 July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22225/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Legislation has been introduced to remove mandatory pay-by-weight charging for household waste collection. However, it is still open to a company to charge on a pay-by-weight basis. Indeed, many companies already have a pay-by-weight element to their charging structure and their customers are quite happy with this approach.

However, in response to the reported escalation of waste bills for customers of certain companies, particularly in relation to some proposed increases in service charges, I have actively engaged with waste industry representatives to agree a way forward that results in customers paying no more than they are currently paying for waste over the next 12 months, by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017.

The operation of the price freeze by the industry will be closely monitored by Government and, in the event of evidence of the agreement being breached legislation will be brought forward to address the issue. In this regard, my Department has met with representatives of the waste industry and will continue to liaise with operators as necessary with regard to the consistent implementation of the agreement.