Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is suggested anecdotal evidence. Looking at previous years, it could be around €240 million or thereabouts. My issue in raising this is not in any way to be a representative of the industry, which is big enough to look after itself. My interest is that this money has been raised. It is sitting in an account and there are hard-pressed consumers. The levy is at 2 cent, which is clearly more than and exceeds the amount for estimated expenses. To me that is a breach of the legislation. They are gathering up all this money. I wonder how the directors feel about it because there is an unusual thing in the accounts for 2018. I am not an accountant so maybe the Comptroller and Auditor General will state his view on this. They have it as reserves. In their accounts, it says that to date this surplus has been retained arising from the development of plans by Government for the repurposing the levy as a source of funding for a new climate action fund. It ties in a little bit with the other point that was made about carbon tax. We have gathered up this money and we have breached legislation in continuing to gather it at the rate we are gathering it. There is approximately €200 million of the people's money sitting in an account that the Government says at some future date it intends to repurpose. I do not know how that is legally possible. Maybe it is possible.