Gerry Adams has said Fianna Fáil’s decision to support the freeze on bin charges for one year, instead of scrapping them, is “reprehensible”.

The Sinn Féin leader is bringing a motion to the Seanad today in order to annul the legislation for the new pay-by-weight charges.

Yesterday, the Housing Minister Simon Coveney said any increases in standing charges will be monitored to stop customers being squeezed and that in a year the price freeze would be reviewed.

However, Gerry Adams has said that even in a year people still won’t be able to afford the charges.

“The Fianna Fáil decision to support the Government’s decision to postpone the punitive hikes in bin charges for a year, instead of scrapping them, is reprehensible,” said Adams.

“Fianna Fáil play the part of opposition, while propping up the Government, because that suits Fianna Fáil at this time.

“People cannot afford the hikes in bin charges now. They will not be able to afford them in 2017.

“If Fianna Fáil had joined the rest of us in the Dáil, we could have ended these increased charges.”