Charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, particularly the conditions attached to each waste collection permit issued under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 as amended.
An interdepartmental working group was established under A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, which I published in July 2012, to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households. The working group, which comprises representatives of my Department and the Departments of Social Protection, Public Expenditure and Reform, Finance and the Tánaiste's Office, submitted its first report to Government on 11 December 2012. Government considered the report and the working group is continuing to examine the design and implementation of measures to address the issue with a view to submitting a second report to Government shortly.