Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 6, to delete lines 6 to 9 and substitute the following:

""(3) The amount of the levy shall be specified in the regulations under subsection (2) but shall not exceed an amount of 26 cent for each plastic bag supplied to a customer.".

The plastic bag levy was a great success. It is not long ago that every hedgerow in the country was decorated with plastic bags. We propose that the amount allowed for in the legislation be reduced. There will be a 70 cent charge on plastic bags. That is too high. At the moment the charge is 15 cent and it works reasonably well. We agree with the Minister that it should be increased. Perhaps it should be index linked because it has been 15 cent since its introduction a decade ago. We feel 26 cent for each bag would be sufficient but 70 cent is very high.

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