Hogan working on solution for bin waivers dispute

The Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said he is working with waste operators to come up with a solution for people on waivers.

Mr Hogan said he hopes to have one in the coming weeks.

It follows calls from Greyhound Waste in Dublin for €3m in Government funding, to subsidise 17,000 waiver customers.

Minister Hogan said he will deal with the issue in his National Waste Policy Review which he hopes to bring to the Government in the coming weeks.

However, he has said there are some people who can afford to pay.

Mr Hogan said: "Well there is a considerable amount of people who haven't paid for their waste in the past, I think 10,000 people are included in that figure.

"So I would ask people to pay for this service, which is essential for them, and they have to meet their obligations under our waste policy."

Meanwhile, a charity which provides supports to older people in need of assistance, ALONE, has called on all parties involved in the bin waiver dispute to come to an arrangement to ensure that the bin waiver system for older people in need continues beyond the end of this year.

The charity said the waivers are due to stop being honoured then by Greyhound Waste.

Seán Moynihan, CEO of ALONE called on all parties involved to address this issue immediately.

Mr Moynihan said: "We support the call for a national waiver system. This system could be fair and transparent and targetted at relieving those most in need who in practical terms actually produce marginal quantities of waste."

ALONE considers the imminent situation of waivers not being honoured as unfair and unreasonable, with this being potentially yet another tax on those who are least able to pay additional costs.

Moynihan continued: "The stress and worry for older people is being exacerbated by poor communications with a tit-for-tat debate being carried on in the media. We urge all involved to meet to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.

"At ALONE we have direct experience of how people are already struggling with increasing numbers of older people contacting us for support and advice. Calls to ALONE rose by 50% in 2011, marking a 125% rise in numbers of calls we received in the last two years. We simply cannot have a situation where additional charges are levied on those who are already struggling to make ends meet."

Older people who are concerned about these issues or in need of assistance can contact ALONE on [phone].