Effective taxation has been likened to the art of plucking a goose: acquiring the greatest quantity of feathers with the smallest amount of flapping. In that context, the long-running squabble over the introduction of refuse charges by Dublin Corporation reflected indifferent planning, crude Government pressure and a mixture of political courage, cowardice and opportunism. It was an unfortunate episode. And it almost led to the abolition of the Corporation by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, and the appointment of a Commissioner to run its affairs. At the last minute, however, three Labour Party councillors broke ranks and voted for refuse charges on Friday night. They lost the party whip but ensured the survival of democracy at local level. As a result, councillors will continue to have an input on education authorities, health boards and a range of other agencies, which would have been lost had the Corporation been abolished.
The Labour Party led the campaign in resisting refuse charges in Dublin, with Sinn Fein and some Independents in strong support. The word "principle" was even used to describe the stances taken. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was pragmatic, competitive politics in operation, pure and simple. Councillors with Oireachtas positions and ambitions drove the agenda. They may have regarded the loss of a council seat as a necessary sacrifice to gain popularity in advance of a general election. Especially when they would retain a voice at national level. The episode made a strong argument for the separation of local and national politics.
The Labour Party's approach had all the signs of being stuck in a time-warp, without any recognition of "the polluter pays" principle, which is now generally recognised within the European Union. Of course taxes are unpopular. And of course the waste planning measures of Dublin Corporation leave much to be desired. But waste management in this State is no longer an issue that can be side-stepped. A growing crisis is developing in relation to landfill and incineration. The Green Party councillors supported the measure on the understanding that a weight-related refuse collection system will be introduced next year. That is the way to go. Make it positive. Separation, recycling and weight are concepts that every householder will have to embrace: the less undesirable waste you create, the less you pay in refuse charges.
The whole episode was a stark example of inadequate official planning on the whole packaging and waste management front, allied to a reluctance by elected politicians to provide strong, principled leadership. And, at its heart, was the issue of whether the polluter should pay. There is a growing acceptance by citizens that those who generate rubbish should - where they can afford it - pay for its removal. And a majority of councils throughout the country have introduced such charges, with waivers for pensioners and those below the tax threshold. The Department of the Environment and council officials have been lax, however, in devising and implementing effective recycling and waste management schemes. Galway city will be hit by rubbish disposal problems from February 1st because of a cap placed on landfill waste by the Environment Protection Agency. Mr Dempsey may have to intervene. Simply switching disposal from landfill to incinerators will not answer the problem. Recycling and separation must become major elements in the solution.