Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Bill. Fianna Fáil wholeheartedly supports the principle behind the Bill, which is to address a significant source of pollution and environmental degradation. I acknowledge the work of Deputy Sean Sherlock and the Labour Party on the issue, as well as of the Green Party, with reference to the Bill recently brought before the Seanad by Senator Grace O'Sullivan. Fianna Fáil will, however, be abstaining in the vote on the Bill as it is too narrow and fails to address the issue adequately. It has prepared its own Bill which is working its way through the Bills Office and is to be published shortly. It will seek to adopt a more comprehensive and thorough approach to address plastic pollution. This legislation addresses one category of microbeads, namely, those found in cosmetic products. However, despite the motivations of Deputy Sean Sherlock, it overlooks the other major source of microbeads - household cleaning products. The Deputy may have chosen not to address that source because of the complexities involved in dealing with certain aspects of the industry, which I understand. I support what the Minister has promised to do. I hope the Bill which Fianna Fáil hopes to publish shortly will be of further assistance to the Minister in his thinking on this issue.

As a result of the omission of household cleaning products from the Bill, millions of microbeads would continue to enter rivers and seas. We need to address the issue comprehensively. Microbeads from cleaning products have the same impact on the environment and marine life as microbeads from cosmetic products, possibly a greater impact when everything is taken into account. This is an important issue that must be addressed. Furthermore, the Bill would do nothing to address other forms of plastic pollution such as that stemming from single-use tableware. While much of this plastic which ultimately ends up in the sea is reduced and broken down over time, it has the same harmful effects as microbeads.

While it would never be possible to address all forms of environmental degradation at the same time, we need to use a joined-up approach when it comes to addressing environmental issues. What the Minister is offering here gives me confidence that this will ultimately be the case if the Minister takes into account the work of the Green Party and the Labour Party and the work we have undertaken. Hopefully, we can achieve a consensus at a later stage. I am not entirely concerned about where the legislation ultimately resides. I would advise against having it as a section of the foreshore area the Minister is talking about. We need to make a very clear statement here. It does warrant a stand-alone Bill. I am not entirely concerned about what it is called but if it addresses the primary issue we are talking about, particularly pollution from microbeads regardless of the products or the area from which they emanate, and also looks at additional plastics that have the same harmful effect on sea life, it will certainly get our support.

In addition to microbeads, many waterways and bodies of water in Ireland are blighted by so-called "micro-plastics", which are eroded pieces of other plastic materials. While they do not start out as microbeads, the impact on marine life is exactly the same. This Bill does not seek to look at that. Another area we have worked on looks at a ban on certain disposable tableware, particularly tableware that has an alternative in other biodegradable products. Those of us who walk and use roadways and parkways as a leisure pursuit are all too keenly aware of the way our roadsides are active dumping grounds for non-biodegradable material, specifically plastic material, from fast food outlets. Unfortunately, in many cases, this material finds its way into waterways and rivers and has the same effect.

Microbeads have a very significant impact on the environment. The term "microbead" is used to refer to small spherical-shaped micro-plastics in cosmetic and personal care products. They are used as an abrasive in rinse-off products such as facial scrubs, soaps and toothpastes. While they were initially made of natural materials, microbeads are now typically made of plastics. While they started out as natural products, the active agent is now a plastic. Given that one person using microbeads in a facial or body scrub can wash in the region of between 5,000 and 10,000 beads down the sink, one can imagine how many can end up in the sea or rivers. Washed down the drain, microbeads make their way into rivers and seas. It is estimated that about 2,400 to 8,400 tonnes of plastics enter the marine environment in Europe every year. That is a phenomenal amount of plastics finding their way into our waterways. When one considers that this is happening on an exponential level year after year, one can come to understand the impact it is having on marine life. This type of pollution can have a hugely detrimental impact on marine life. While it has an impact on our shoreline, because of the nature of currents, plastics coming from Ireland have an impact on a much wider field. Microbeads present a huge issue for all forms of marine life, which accidentally ingests them leading to a very significant impact on it and the wider marine environment.

As one can imagine, ingesting large quantities of plastic is extremely harmful to fish and other marine life and the ingestion of microbeads by fish and other sea creatures can poison them and also impact on their movement, breeding and growth potential. According to Ireland's leading marine biologists, microbeads are already negatively impacting on marine life in Ireland. Ireland's marine life is essential to us. Fishing and related activities are central to our lives and economy. The fishing industry provides about 11,000 jobs in Ireland and contributes hundreds of millions of euro to the Irish economy. This does not even account for related activities, such as tourism spending by anglers from overseas. Given that humans may consumer fish that have ingested microbeads, microbeads can also have a negative impact on human health. This is often lost in the debate and because our rivers and seas have been fertile for generations, they are seen as appropriate places for dumping. In many cases, people do not seem to understand the cycle of the sea and the impact it has on human life. This can pose a serious health risk. Microbeads contain plastics and toxins that are not recommended for consumption and their mechanical effects on the human body are unknown

While we entirely support the principle of the Bill, we believe it does not take a sufficiently comprehensive approach to the issue of microbeads and waterways pollution. First, the Bill accounts for only a narrow portion of microbeads. Given that it only concentrates on cosmetic and personal care products containing microbeads, such as facial washes, toothpastes, make-up, etc., other products containing microbeads will continue to pollute our waterways and seas. For example, what about household cleaning products which contain microbeads? We can all acknowledge that microbeads are immensely damaging and undesirable so what is the point in only half-heartedly banning them? While I understand what the Deputy is saying, hopefully, the approach we take at a later stage will have a much more beneficial effect. If we ban cosmetic products containing microbeads but not cleaning products, this loophole will continue to allow thousands of microbeads to pollute our water. I was very much taken by Deputy Sherlock's statement that he sees this Bill as a contribution, and a very significant one, to the overall legislative framework that will, hopefully, come to pass and deal with this issue. In doing so, one would recognise the role of the Labour Party. I will be publishing a Bill shortly and it is my intention that our Bill will add further to that. Hopefully, we will receive the same support and recognition.

I am a little confused about the Department in which this resides. I note that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has taken the Bill. It was my understanding that this was an issue for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment but I am open to clarification on that. I know that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine will also have a role. I do not want the Bill to fall between the cracks or crevices of the Departments. We already have an issue around the roll-out of broadband and whether this resides in the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs or the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. In respect of the post office network, there were some issues about one Minister throwing in the towel and the other accepting the challenge and that was played out on the airways. I would like clarification from the Government about whether it is treating this as an environmental issue, whether it is being connected to planning and housing, something I would have difficulty understanding, or whether it is part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which, in my view, it should not be. It should reside with the area of waste, which I understand is in another Department, but I will take clarification on that

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