Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Fitzgerald and thank him for his quite detailed presentation. What amount of plastic does Mr. Fitzgerald believe is around the country? Has he seen figures on it? People talk about 20,000 tonnes of plastic lying in farm yards. In the context of the market and the levy, does Mr. Fitzgerald believe the issue of the volume of plastic in yards around the country must be addressed? I have been told that 20,000 tonnes would be a conservative estimate of the amount of plastic out there. China has stepped back from the market and Wales is our main option at the moment. What is required to clear the backlog? How big is that backlog and how do we ensure that a similar backlog does not build up again in the future? Mr. Fitzgerald has referred to the requirement to collect 70% which is based on legislation that was drafted in the early 2000s and which is now totally out of date. His comments regarding the legislation are well noted and will be put to the next group of witnesses to appear before the committee.