Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Public Accounts Committee

2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 10 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities
Chapter 11 - Costs of Land Remediation
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

11:30 am

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have two further questions, one of which relates to the plastic bag levy. I am very interested to know - if Mr. McCarthy has the information - how much has been raised through the plastic bag levy year on year over the past couple of years. Has there been a decline and a change of culture in regard to the purchase of plastic bags? The reason for the introduction of the levy was to try to change behaviour. Therefore, this is one area where we are likely to see a reduction in terms of the moneys raised through the levy, indicating a change in behaviour.

On the e-voting machines calamity, the view has been expressed previously that we might as well have set a match to €25 million, as they were little use. Mr. McCarthy mentioned that the last remaining lease in this regard is being worked through currently. Where is that site and when does he expect the last lease will be closed out?