Mr. Thomas Burke:

I am presenting today on behalf of Retail Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the retail sector, a sector that employs over 280,000 and contributes 23% of the State's total tax receipts. Therefore, it is very important.

Retail Ireland members promote and practice responsible retailing and take an active role in generating vibrant and healthy communities. Waste prevention and reduction programmes are a core objective of the sector's commitment to tackling environmental issues. Our members invest many millions each year to ensure we protect and promote our environment. An example of this commitment is the significant level of funding provided to the Repak organisation, which in turn funds the successful national kerbside collection of recyclable materials, or materials in the “green bin”. This direct funding by retailers has helped Ireland not only to exceed EU recycling targets set for 2011 but also to have already exceeded some of the suggested targets for 2025.

Retail Ireland agrees with the recent independent report commissioned for the Government on this matter that states the cost of implementing a deposit-and-refund scheme would outweigh the benefits. Our members are concerned that the development of a new system will undermine the good work done by Repak and many stakeholders, including retailers, to bring Ireland from having one of the worst rates of recycling in Europe to among the best today.

While many retailers already provide bottle and clothing recycling facilities on their properties, we have concerns about the suggested introduction of further units in the form of bottle-bank-type units or reverse vending machines. Such units would come at a significant cost and would have to be placed in locations outside town and village centres, with free parking and good access. Such a move could have the unintended consequence of reducing activity within towns and villages and further threaten the rejuvenation of regional town centres.