Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Jennings for attending. The main concern is the significant volume of plastic and paper cups being used and what happens to them. Mr. Jennings has made some valid points about the practicalities of a working scheme in that regard as proposed in the Green Party's Bill. Several months ago I brought forward a similar Bill for Sinn Féin to introduce such a scheme and which compared other schemes in European countries. I would welcome Mr. Jennings's views on it. Our Bill proposed that the scheme be self-funding and that every shop would not have recycling units but that they would be located in prominent areas or large shopping centres. We could have a situation where we would return to the use of closed glass bottles or cans. There would be practicalities in how CSNA members would manage such proposals. My Bill proposed that returns be to larger units. For example, if someone was to bring back ten plastic or ten glass bottles, he or she would receive a credit in return.

Do the CSNA's members have views on how we could reduce the use of plastic cups or change to another type of material? In January, as hedgerows and the grass on the side of the road die back, thousands of discarded plastic cups are revealed. In turn, they will be washed into rivers and out into the ocean. We cannot allow this to continue to happen.