“The slogan in this country for many years has been, reduce, reuse, recycle; and when the people of Ireland do the right thing, the private waste collection operators want to hit everyone in their pockets, again.”
These were the words of Laois’s Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley who was speaking in the Dáil amid recent reports that waste collection companies could be increasing their prices.
In talks with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communication earlier this month, the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) expressed concern that companies may increase prices for collections to make up for the loss of plastic bottles and drinks cans to the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
“These waste collection companies increase charges year on year, even before they used this excuse that people are using the Deposit Return Scheme too much,” Deputy Stanley said.
“I very much doubt that anyone on the government benches can say that the privatisation of waste collection has been a success, and this latest threat to increase prices in another example of that.
“The deposit return scheme is a scheme that is reasonably successful, and I support this as a way of reducing litter and the size of our ever increasing waste mountain.
“However, this should not be used as an excuse by private companies to double charge householders.”
“The Government should be looking to take back control of the waste management sector and put it back under the remit of local councils,” Deputy Stanley continued.
“Multiple EU states have proven that this is the way forward, not only is it better for consumers, but it is better for the environment too.”
Meanwhile, another Laois/Offaly TD has taken aim at the HSE amid a “steep cut to the reimbursement costs that be recovered” after cataract surgery.
Independent TD Carol Nolan highlighted the fact that patients will no longer receive the once-standard €1,928 reimbursement for the cost of their surgery.
“The HSE has now decided to cut this by more than half to €863,” Deputy Nolan said.
“There is huge frustration and anger at this latest move by the HSE which is quite frankly incomprehensible.”
Deputy Nolan told Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that the reimbursement had been “radically reduced for reasons that appear to be entirely without foundation, rhyme or reason.
“The only thing that has happened is that now patients on the verge of possible blindness or significant loss will be substantially out of pocket.”
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