Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 July 2016
115. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if householders who are already serviced by a pay-by-weight collection system are protected from increases in charges under the agreement he has made with waste companies; if he is aware that letters have been sent indicating that such customers will have their charges raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19912/16]
View answer120. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned over announced plans by a waste company (details supplied) to change the charges levied on pay-by-use customers following the price freeze announced by the Government and if he is concerned that companies may try to recoup some of the losses from the capping of fixed-charge accounts by massively increasing charges for pay-by-use customers. [19931/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 120 together.
The Government secured an agreement with all major waste collection companies to freeze charges, so that customers pay no more than they are currently paying for waste collection over the next 12 months for the same level of service.
My Department has met representatives of the waste industry this week, at which a range of issues concerning the consistent implementation of the agreement were discussed.
I have also been clear that the operation of the price freeze by the industry will be closely monitored, indicating that, if there was evidence of the agreement being breached, I would look at whether further legislative measures were necessary to enforce it. Furthermore, the compliance of the industry and its effectiveness in co-operating and implementing these new arrangements are likely to feature within the overall review of the functioning of this waste collection industry.
