The decision of Dublin Corporation to bill all non-domestic users for refuse collection, including schools, was criticised by Mr Gay Mitchell (FG) who described it as a tax on education. He called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, and the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, to explain why such charges were being levied on schools.
Mr Mitchell said 14,000 new refuse collection bills would be issued over the coming weeks.
"Dublin Corporation has confirmed this and has informed me that this is due to the cost of running their rebaling plant," he said last night. "The minimum charge will be £105 per year for up to three refuse bags per week, plus £35 per bag per year thereafter."
A spokeswoman for Dublin Corporation told The Irish Times yesterday that its waste charges had quadrupled in the last couple of years. It was now costing the Corporation £80 a ton for waste collected and disposed of in landfill sites. It was charging commercial ratepayers 67p a bag for collection.