Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That was established by the waste management fund in 2001. In excess of €830 million has been raised by the fund through the plastic bag levy and the landfill levy. These environmental levies achieved their objectives in reducing usage of plastic bags and tonnage of waste going to landfill.

Revenue into the fund has fallen in recent years. The number of plastic bags subject to the levy fell from 328 per person per annum prior to its introduction to seven in 2017. The decline in revenue from the landfill levy has accelerated following the opening of the waste to energy facility at Poolbeg in Dublin in 2017. That demonstrates the effectiveness of the scheme.