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[Press Release: February 4th, 2005] De Burca calls on Minister Roche to introduce Waste Regulator for waste sectorFollowing the recent controversy about the Pay Per Use system introduced by Greenstar, Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca, has called on Minister Roche to introduce a Waste Regulator for the waste sector."The recent public controversy about the way in which Greenstar introduced the Pay Per Use system has highlighted the need for proper regulation of the waste sector" says de Burca. "This company enjoys a virtual monopoly situation in the county and householders have no choice but to accept any increase in charges or in the methods of payment introduced by the company. In effect, householders cannot choose to give their custom to another company because the reality is that Greenstar is the only domestic waste collection company operating in the North of the county". The Green councillor claims that the entire area of waste has moved out of the control of elected representatives since privatisation occurred. She points out that the only control that Wicklow County Council exercises over private waste collectors is through the waste permit system, and the conditions attached to those permits. Private waste operators are obliged to inform Wicklow County Council of any proposed price increases when their permits are being agreed. However, she claims that the waste permits are drawn up and agreed by unelected officials without any reference to councillors.She argues that this means that there is no democratic control over waste collection in County Wicklow. De Burca insists that many other sectors of the economy such as the energy and telecommunications sectors have their own regulator to ensure that there is no abuse of dominant positions and that consumers can avail of competitive prices. "The waste sector is a growing and extremely lucrative sector and it is not acceptable to leave it in the largely unregulated state that exists at the moment" she says. "I am calling on Minister Dick Roche to introduce legisation allowing for the office of a Waste Regulator to be set up. This is essential if the interests of consumers are to be protected".
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