Bin charges are set to be frozen as the Government works towards clamping down on a price hike.

Minister Simon Coveney met with waste management companies on Friday, to discuss plans to implement pay -by-weight charges on July 1st.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Coveney said: "It was a frank and productive meeting with the waste industry this evening."

"On the basis of what was discussed, I will bring forward a proposal early next week and before the debates in the Oireachtas."

Among those attending the meeting were officials from the Department of the Environment and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

While representatives from Bord na Mona (AES), CityBin, Clean Ireland, Greenstar, Greyhound, Mulleady's Waste, Panda Waste and Thorntons also attended the talks.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is set to examine the controversy, after consumers complained they had received notifications of price hikes.

It is reported today that Minister Coveney is set to freeze the charges for 12 months, in a bid to give his department more time to examine the matter further.