The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, and the Government have launched a concerted campaign to win public support on the bin charges issue, claiming that just 150 protesters are preventing the vast majority who have paid for the service from having their bins collected.
However, as ministers warned yesterday of public health problems if waste remains uncollected, a Government spokesmen said there had been no Cabinet discussion on how to deal with this as there was no immediate danger.
Ms Harney dismissed as unnecessary a call for the Army to be used to clear rubbish but warned of a "serious public health issue" if disruption of bin collections continues.
While saying she did not think the Army was necessary, she went on: "Clearly the Government is not going to stand over a situation where compliant citizens are not going to have their refuse collected."
The Tánaiste's comments on the number of anti-bin charge protesters were echoed by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen. Dismissing the notion of intervention by Government, a spokesman for Mr Cullen said waste collection was a matter for local authorities.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Minister for the Environment and several Government spokesmen all insisted yesterday they would not back down, as disruption of bin collections continued in parts of the capital.
The Taoiseach specifically rejected a call by the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, for the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, to rescind the order not to empty bins of those who have not paid.