The introduction of bin charges has resulted in an increase in illegal dumping, a campaign group said today.
Speaking at press conference in Dublin today Ms Brid Smith, spokesperson for Dublin Citywide Anti Bin Tax Campaign, said: "Bin taxes are not solving the crisis, they are making it".
Members of the group plan to march on Saturday, February 26th, at 2 p.m. from Dublin's Parnell Square to the Department of the Environment.
According to the campaign, the privitisation of refuse collection has meant a huge increase in illegal dumping. They also criticised the Government for not putting more investment into recycling.
Independent TD, Mr Finian McGrath, said PAYE households were being hammered for the waste of others.
Ms Brid Smith, spokesperson for Dublin Citywide Anti Bin Tax Campaign
He said that according to figures from the Department of Environment households produced 3,001,016 tonnes of rubbish last year compared to 56,000,000 tonnes of agricultural rubbish or 2,364,886 of construction rubbish over the same period.
Independent TD, Mr Tony Gregory, called bin charges "an inequitable tax" and said it could pave the way for other stealth taxes in the future such as a water tax.
The group said that it had "huge support because most people opposed a double tax on PAYE workers".
The Sinn Féin spokesman for the Environment, Mr Daithí Doolan, said the idea that polluter should pay is fine, but "he [the Minister for the Environment, Mr Roche] is fining the consumer".
Mr Doolan said people who oppose the charges are faced with the "threat of bully-boy tactics from the city manager and Minister Roche".
Independent Councillor Ms Joan Collins added that the protest march was a shot across the bow of the Government and was a way of pulling together all areas opposed to the charges.
