Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

On the same subject, I was at the committee on Tuesday when this matter was discussed. Many of the questions asked were not replied to satisfactorily. These regulations propose to deal with the issue of waste of electronic goods and provide for an arrangement whereby consumers can give back old electronic and electrical equipment in disuse. The idea behind the EU directive was that responsibility would be on the producer but it appears that in these regulations the Government is shifting responsibility on to the retailers. It is doing so in a way that will cause considerable confusion publicly and will not necessarily assist the consumer. I agree with Deputy Kenny that these regulations require debate in the House. The matter was not satisfactorily concluded at the committee.

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