SF TDs to visit imprisoned bin tax activists

Sinn Féin TDs Aengus O’Snodaigh and Arthur Morgan are due to visit campaigners against the bin tax in Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison later today.

A total of 15 campaigners, including Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins and councillor Clare Daly, have been jailed for up to one month each for refusing to obey a High Court order outlawing the obstruction of refuse collection services in Dublin.

The protestors have been blockading bin lorries since the local authorities began implementing new laws allowing them to refuse to collect rubbish from people boycotting the tax.

The Government introduced the new law after the Supreme Court ruled that the councils were legally obliged to collect all rubbish, regardless of whether the charges were paid, because of health and safety concerns.

Mr O'Snodaigh and Mr Morgan said they were visiting the imprisoned activists to show solidarity with their principled stand on the issue.