Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In many ways this conversation has moved on and the next witness is probably the key witness. The only issue I want to ask about is the so-called 30% or 20% left out. Mr. Moloney stated that his group does a practical and resourceful job in ensuring that the group collects 70% to 80%. In many ways, that is not the major issue in the current debate. The issue in the debate is the other 20%. We have yards in some parts of the country allegedly with hundreds if not thousands of tonnes of plastic stockpiled. Whether that is the responsibility of the IFFPG - I sense by the response of Mr. Moloney that it is not - we need to find a solution to that problem. It may be by amending legislation or going back to the Minister. We need to work with all angles. We need to work with the IFFPG in particular, which has a track record of picking up plastic and doing a sensible and appropriate job in recycling it and exporting it on occasions. We need to find a solution to ensure that the 25% of plastic not going through the IFFPG formal system can find a home.

The argument all committee members are making is about what will happen. If we do not have a scenario in place for the 25% to be delivered, collected, recycled or exported, then we are going to have a problem with the plastic building up. I appreciate the previous response from Mr. Moloney was that it is not the baby of the IFFPG. It is nothing to do with the group and the group is getting a 100% levy for collecting 80% under the legislation. The real question is what we do with the 20%. We have a responsibility of care and a duty.

Farming is in a different space. We have a time-in-action element at the moment. We all know the significant pressures we are under as an industry. We have never been under the microscope like this before. We need to find a solution not only for the plastic producers industry but for the sustainability of the industry. That is the real point. How can we find a sustainable solution to this issue so that, as the entire farming community, we can move forward?

Does the legislation need to be amended and strengthened such that IFFPG will have more control? Should it be changed in order that there could be an open market and anybody who collects would get a percentage of the levy? The current system does not work. IFFPG does its job, independent operators do theirs and there is 20% in the middle about which nobody knows what has happened. If we were to change legislation, should we strengthen IFFPG's hand or open the market to more participants?