Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

The Minister cannot introduce this measure for at least another 18 months following publication of the legislation under EU law. Also the eco-design directive would prevent him from introducing it without consulting the stakeholders involved in terms of the cost of replacing the lighbulbs. The need to purchase lighbulbs that are ten times more expensive than those households currently used and the need to replace expensive light fittings will impose a major cost on households. Those issues need to be addressed. People, for example, those who have epilepsy, have health issues concerning the use of CFL bulbs. Other issues to be addressed include the free movement of goods and people's livelihoods. The Minister cannot do what he said he would do. The reason he said he could do this was to distract from a budget that had nothing green in it. He did not think through the introduction of this measure, which is not unusual.

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