The decision to freeze annual service charges imposed by waste firms until next year has been welcomed by the Green Party.

Leader Eamon Ryan has called on the government to use the interim period to devise a fair regulatory system which helps people reduce waste bills by promoting recycling.

He said: "We have set up a dysfunctional system where private companies have a monopoly position. The Minister needs to examine ways in which legal obstacles to the regulation of operators can be overcome. The changes that have taken place in the market in recent years means it may be possible to set up a regulatory authority to license services and restrict inappropriate price rises."

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Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment, Cllr. Malcolm Noonan, said: "In moving to a properly regulated system we need to make sure that everyone is treated equally. It is unfair to expect those taking recyclable material to a bring centre to pay by weight which is not charged to those using Green bins. We need to make sure that the business sector pays more through the Repak system to cover these recycling costs and also to reduce the amount of packaging that is used in the first place."

(CD/LM)