Kenny says it’s time to address the issue of bin charges

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it is time to examine how the management of waste is dealt with.

He said the spirit of the legislation dealing with bin charges related to how charges could be reduced.

“In other words, consumers or customers would have the option to examine carefully and think about how they would dispose of their waste in terms of green, brown and black bins and, on a pay-by-weight basis, charges could be reduced.’’

Clearly, said Mr Kenny, that was not going to happen, which was why Minister for Local Government Simon Coveney had met the waste management companies.

Chaos and mayhem

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said there was “anger, anxiety and great surprise’’ at how the statutory instrument, introduced last January, had created chaos and mayhem within the bin industry.

“There have been claims and counter-claims but, essentially, bills in quite a number of instances have gone through the roof.

“The standard charges were increased under the guise of the introduction of the pay-by-weight system,” he said.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said many people were only just waking up to the reality that the Taoiseach was back in office. “The latest debacle over bin charges has been a wake-up call for many,’’ he added. “It is also a very stark demonstration of the shallowness of the so-called new politics.’’

Mr Adams said there was nothing new about Mr Martin “opting out of his partnership role to lament the bin charges fiasco even though he has yet to support measures which could annul the statutory instrument that allows those price hikes’’.

Mr Kenny accused Mr Adams of wanting to do away with all the incentives which where there for 10 or 12 years, and which people were very pleased about and proud to participate in because it was good for the environment and what went into landfill. “It is very good for people to be able to see they are making a contribution to a better country,’’ he added.

Mr Adams said he wanted to know from Mr Kenny whether he would make a commitment that new regulations or legislation would be introduced to deal with the debacle.

Mr Kenny said Mr Coveney had listened carefully to the genuine concerns of many people around the country about what might happen in respect of waste charges. That was why there was a price freeze, he added.