Mr. Tom Dunne:

On the board, we have farmer representatives from the IFA. We have representatives of producers and manufacturers. The board comprises four groups. There is a farmer group, a producer and manufacturer group, a wholesaler group and a retailer group. Each of the companies must become members. We are a member organisation. All the contributions are member contributions. Member money is put into the company to run the scheme. Each of those groups elects its representatives on the board. Two come from the group of manufacturers, two from the group of retailers, two from the wholesalers and two represent the farmers. That is how the board is made up. I am an independent chairman. We also have two independent people, one of whom represents the environmental sector and another who is independent of the plastics business to give the perspective from the outside. That is the make-up of the board. We operate on a consensus basis. We all agree on what fees should be coming from the producers and how they operate. We also have an accountant as part of the system to oversee the financial side of things. There is discussion and agreement at the board level about how the scheme is run and financed. The board is obviously very interested in the long-term security of the business.

It is a very difficult business. As the committee knows, it has been difficult for years. We are in for the long haul. It is important for our members and the farmers that people can come in and out of the business as the price of plastic fluctuates. However, we are here for the permanent long haul. It is important to farmers to have a system in place that is robust and can take all the storms that are coming. We are quite confident that we have good financial structures and the support of all the members. It is important to remember that our company is a member company. All the money that is being collected, any fees or levies, belongs to the members. It is paid by the members for the recycling of the plastic. That is how the company works.