Anti-charges campaigners block Dublin bin collections

Anti-bin charges campaigners have mounted blockades in Dublin today as Fingal Council began collecting refuse only from households…

Anti-bin charges campaigners have mounted blockades in Dublin today as Fingal Council began collecting refuse only from households which have paid for the service.

The protest group, Fingal Anti Bin Tax Campaign (FABTC), said routes had been "hemmed in by protesting residents".

A spokeswoman for the group told ireland.comthree trucks had been stopped in Portmarnock for several hours and another four in Blanchardstown.

A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said the protests were concentrated in the Blanchardstown and in Portmarnock, but other areas were experiencing a normal service.

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The protesters are only blocking the trucks where they refuse to collect a non-tagged bin.

"The routes will not be allowed proceed unless all taxpayers' bins are collected. The action will continue on an organised basis every day until the council of the Government changes its way," Mr Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party said at a press conference yesterday.

It has been reported that gardaí have accompanied trucks on some routes and a number of protesters have had their names taken by officers.

However, a Garda spokesman said he was not aware of any public order problems during the protests this morning.

FABTC says rubbish could begin to build up leading to illegal dumping, if the situation continues. They say if the campaign runs for several weeks then rubbish could be dropped outside Fingal Co Co offices in O'Connell Street.

Further protests are likely later this week when collections take place in other towns within the Fingal County Council area.