SIPTU are to support the day of protest against the Bin Tax in Dublin on Saturday the 11th October and are to meet next week to discuss extending the protests nationwide.

Eplaining why the union would be supporting the protest demonstration, SIPTU President Jack O'Connor said:
"We believe that the imposition of these charges is inequitable in practice since they are not applied on the basis of ability to pay." The statement went on: "We believe that it is inequitable in principle, since it fails to recognise that some local authority services (like supply of proper drinking water, sanitation services and domestic refuse collection) are so essential in terms of public health and environmental protection, that they should not be treated as commodities which can only be dispensed if the consumer pays an additional charge."

"SIPTU goes to the heart of the issue", said Cllr Kelly. "The provision of these essential services, like clean drinking water, cannot be rationed out on the basis of who can afford to pay".

"Opposition to inequitable service charges was a central issue of the Sinn Féin manifesto at the last local election in 1999", continued Cllr Kelly. "Those who accuse Sinn Féin of 'jumping on a political bandwagon' should know better. This issue is not a new one for Sinn Féin, it is a very long standing one and Sinn Féin have been the only party to consistently oppose unjust service charges on all local authorities in Wexford.

"Sinn Féin stand ready to debate Waste Management Policy and to offer positive proposals. We also stand ready to debate the issue of the financing of Local Authorities. These two debates must be taken seperately with a greater degree of honesty from the other parties. It must be clear that the imposition of excessive Bin Charges cannot be a genuine solution to either of these two distinct issues and it is disingenuous for the Councillors from other political parties to suggest otherwise.

"Linking the various issues of Footpaths, the maintenance of Crosstown Cemetery or the Swimming Pool to the Bin Tax debate proves the point that Bin Charges are not in fact a genuine charge for actually collecting refuse but are indeed a form of double taxation. The Cemetery, the Swimming Pool and the Footpaths have all been ongoing issues in Wexford long before Bin Charges were ever heard of.

"Sinn Féin is calling for honest debate on these issues and is calling for the immediate withdrawal of the threats of legal proceedings that are hanging over homes in Wexford. At next Monday nights meeting of the Borough Council I will be challenging the other parties to debate honestly, to stop clouding the issues and to withdraw the threats of legal proceedings." ENDS

Full Text of Cllr Kelly's Motion:

"While acknowledging that a solution must be found to the waste managment crisis and to the problem of the underfunding of local authorities, this council now recognises that the imposition of excessive bin charges on domestic households is not a valid solution to either of these separate crises.

Further this Council calls for the immediate withdrawal of solicitors letters, sent to homes in Wexford, threatening court proceedings for non-payment of bin charges. The present system of bin charges is unequal and unworkable. It must now be abolished and an amnesty granted to all those households in arrears."