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

First, I thank both our speakers for their contributions. The first question is to Ms O'Brien. I would like to get an understanding of how prescriptive legislation should seek to be in some of these areas. Should we consider giving the Minister enabling powers so that in the future as opportunities evolve, measures can be introduced with regard to virgin plastic, requirements regarding supermarket space, or packaging alternatives etc.? How far can we go in initiating legislation now? I wonder if there are models of legislation around the labeling issue. When one raises labeling, one is generally told that Ireland cannot have its own labeling regime. I wonder if we were to try to designate what defines "compostable", in the way that Ms O'Brien is suggesting, would we run into difficulties with European law? Would we be better off setting non-legislative ambition in these areas as a way of prodding sectoral change?

My second question is to Mr. Schweitzer. I would be interested to hear how France outlawed obsolescence. It strikes me as a difficult concept to catch and to create a legal structure around. I would be interested to know how that was done. He also raised the concept of a rebate funded by the sector for repair. Again, how was that done? Is that within existing producer responsibility schemes? Was that done in some other fashion? My questions are on the “how to” of some of Mr. Schweitzer's points and whether they have evolved through law and regulation leading in this way. Does one set out detailed law, or does one do these sorts of things through negotiation with the sector and by leading an evolution in that way?