Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward has called on waste collection services to be brought back into public ownership.
The Dublin Mid-West TD was speaking following news that Panda, a waste operator, will be increasing prices for consumers by 9%.
Ward said the principle of waste management being a for-profit venture doesn’t sit right with him.
He said that Ireland’s household waste management system “needs to be changed” to a system where just one waste service operator manages a single local authority area.
“Collection of household waste is currently poorly run, with multiple operators collecting bins on the same street and prices of collection soaring higher than ever,” the Sinn Féin Dublin spokesperson said.
“We know that bin companies operate like a cartel, when one increases their price, the rest follow.”
Ward stated, “ordinary people are being pushed to the pins of their collars; no one’s wages go up by 9%, so no one’s bills should go up the same,” and said that a “radical shake-up of the system” was needed.
“We need to bring bins back under public control and ensure that essential services are operated in the best interests of the people, not private profit.”
He noted that re-municipalisation of waste collection has happened in other jurisdictions.
“The process of returning waste management to public control can begin with having one bin company per local authority,” he explained.
“A single operator per local authority would reduce the number of bin trucks on your street and should reduce the amount of illegal dumping.
He said the practice would also lead to a decrease in prices, which can be set out in the tendering process by the local authority.
“This would benefit customers who have seen more price rises for bin collections in recent months on the back of annual increases,” he said.
Ward pointed to the Dublin City Taskforce, commissioned by Fine Gael, calling for a single waste management company to manage bin collections in Dublin city centre, and for a long-term plan to bring waste services back under Dublin City Council control.
“No other European city allows this side-by-side system, where waste-collection firms compete to sign up individual homes,” he said.
“This is not an issue just for Dublin City Council but for all four local authorities in the Dublin area.”
Ward said, “The cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, and private bin companies are exploiting their customers; they have dragged their heels and have wasted precious time, and they need to clean up their act.”