Dublin City Council Bin Tax Increase
Posturing Politicians Will Pay a Heavy Price When People Have Their Say in June

Joe Higgins TD, Socialist Party

The increase in the bin tax by 23% in Dublin City exposes the sham posturing engaged in by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Green Party Councilllors. When the decisive moment came, their reservations gave way to cowardice and opportunism.

By this vote, the Fianna Fáil/ Fine Gael Bin Tax Coalition on the City Council underwrites the Government’s policy of stealth taxation. Among other things, they ignored a Combat Poverty Report released only two weeks ago, Waste Collection Charges and Low-Income Households, which showed bin taxes putting a severe extra strain on low- income families who do not qualify for a waiver.

The Report found that waste charges have grown by 223% in six years between 1992-2003.

Noting the escalating cost of waste collection charges in recent years, now averaging between €150 and €500 per annum, the Report (Chapter 5) states that: “One indicator of the effect on low-income households is the increased number of clients presenting at money advice services with financial problems directly associated with waste charges. Even with pay-as-you-go charges, there are reports of financial pressure, especially when associated with other high expenditure periods such as returning to school”.

Right wing politicians will pay a heavy price for this when people have their say in the Local and European Elections next June.

For further information, contact Joe Higgins T.D. at (01) 6183038
Email: joe.higgins@oireachtas.irlgov.ie