Sir, – You published some interesting background information on the ownership of the seven large waste companies operating in the Irish market (Barry O'Halloran, "Waste companies: a collection", Business, June 21st). Three of the companies operate as unlimited companies that in turn are seemingly owned by limited companies domiciled in offshore and low-tax jurisdictions. The owners can avoid having to publish annual accounts in Ireland, and avoid disclosing details of shareholding ownership, yet still retain limited liability and probably avoid any capital gains tax on the sale of the Irish company.
The benefits of non-disclosure that unlimited companies enjoy should be abolished. Either they publish summarised audited accounts like most other companies or the concept of unlimited liability should be terminated. Certainly no government department should have any dealings with, or award contracts to, unlimited companies. If companies wish to benefit from limited liability, even indirectly, then the price is full disclosure of financial information and ownership so that the public and suppliers have some idea of the financial standing of the company. Supermarket groups, take note. Several of them adopt similar structures. – Yours, etc,
DAVID McCABE,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Given the protests against water charges and now bin charges, has the Government considered reintroducing the window tax? – Yours, etc,
MELISSA O’NEILL,
Midleton, Co Cork.
Sir, – I live in rural Co Galway, where only one waste collection company operates, meaning I have no waste collection alternatives. I currently use the bag system, paying €2.50 per recycling bag and €7.50 per general waste bag. I already separate my waste, with food waste being composted and other waste sorted into recycling and general waste. For the calendar year of 2015, I had a total of nine recycling bags collected and one general waste bag collected, for a total of €20 for the entire year.
With the new pay by weight system, the waste collection companies are doing away with the old bag collection system. This means that the only means of waste collection is to use the wheelie bin system, which will cost a minimum of €350 per year, an increase of 1,650 per cent in waste charges. How is this encouraging people to recycle more? This is in effect penalising exactly the behaviour the Minister for the Environment Simon Coveney says he wants to encourage. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTINE HARRIS,
Cuan na Gaillimhe.
Sir, – Colette Carroll asked to hear from even one person who makes up the 87 per cent who will pay less under these new proposed schemes (June 21st).
My new waste charges, for a normal family of five with reasonable recycling habits and a compost bin, will be less with my current operator.
They have only increased the standing charge by €22. This seems to be the key distinction, with large service charge rises being the main issue for many consumers. Surely this issue can be dealt with by regulation, leaving the eminently sensible pay per weight principle to go ahead as planned. – Yours, etc,
PAUL CARROLL,
Clane, Co Kildare.
Sir, – Once again we are being blindsided by politicians and private waste disposal firms. The whole process stinks. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL CAMPBELL,
Newbridge, Co Kildare.
Sir, – How many more examples do we need to see that a poorly regulated essential service left to “market forces” will only result in significant loss or hardship for ordinary citizens?
As we’ve seen in banking, housing, water and again with waste charges, our Government is simply not capable of adequately regulating a significantly privatised market so that it operates for the greater benefit of all Irish society.
To reverse these failed privatisation initiatives, and to avoid adding communications, energy and transport to the list, the Government must adopt a more balanced policy approach.
Privatising essential services should only be contemplated when society as a whole will clearly benefit, now and in the future. All providers of essential services – private and public – must be properly regulated and accountable. And all publicly funded providers of essential services must be both competitive and responsive to the needs of the society they serve – Irish citizens, taxpayers and businesses. – Yours, etc,
FINTAN REDDY,
Castleknock, Dublin 15.