The Social Democrats will today table amendments to a Fianna Fáil Dáil motion on bin charges.
The amendments seek to ensure that bin companies will not be permitted to obtain waste licences or permits without publishing their financial accounts in Ireland.
The amendments also call for the introduction of a national waiver scheme for customers who meet specific criteria on income, family size, health needs, and/or age.
The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said:
“The planned pay-by-weight scheme amounts to a free-for all for bin companies who will be able to set their own collection rates and ensure their own profitability. Yet many of these companies do not see fit to publish details of their financial accounts in Ireland.
“Consumers have very little information about the profits or losses of many waste companies. Despite this financial secrecy the companies are still able to secure licences and permits from local authorities.”
Co-leader Róisín Shortall TD added:
“The lack of transparency in this area is bad for the consumer and bad for competition – it’s about putting profit ahead of public service. Our amendment would mean that waste management companies couldn’t get a permit or licence without publishing their financial accounts in Ireland. This would ensure transparency about their ownership. At the moment, most of the main companies are registered off-shore so we don’t know anything about ownership or profit margins. If waste companies’ profits are hidden, then how can we ensure competition and sustainability?”
“Our amendment would also see the introduction of a national waiver scheme so that particular groups of people are not burdened with any sudden increase in waste collection fees.”
ENDS
4 July 2017