Madam, - I am appalled at the actions of opponents of bin charges in recent weeks. The argument that such charges constitute "double taxation" is totally false.
Bin collection is a service like any other. Just like electricity, post, television and heating oil, we must pay for it if we can afford to do so. Surely no one would regard paying for these to be double taxation.
Joe Higgins and his associates would like us to pay for our bin collection through higher taxes. It is certainly true that income taxes were increased in the late 1970s to pay for the abolition of "rates", which used to cover the cost of collecting bins. This increase, however, has long since been given back to the taxpayer.
I for one would prefer to pay for the rubbish I produce with the incentive of paying less if I recycle and reduce - which is the system used in the Fingal area - than to pay higher taxes to cover the cost of managing other people's rubbish. - Yours, etc.,
LEO VARADKAR, Roselawn Road, Dublin 15.