Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with everything Deputy Ryan said. As he knows, I fully support the principles behind the Bill he introduced. He might give me a copy of the response he received from the Ceann Comhairle which would help to facilitate the debate. As the Deputy knows, we discussed the issue in the committee in private session, disappointingly, at the last meeting. It would be extremely helpful to get clarity on that issue.

Deposit and return is part of a whole suite of issues. Given the plastic industry here and the brief engagement I had with Athlone Institute of Technology, there may be opportunities in respect of that. I have also said we have a very different waste collection structure in this country. We need to make sure the system we design meets our needs, not those of the Germans or Dutch. We need to primarily ensure that waste is not generated in the first place and where it is generated that it is not going into landfill and can be recycled. That has to be our priority. Speaking privately with my ministerial colleagues at the Council of Ministers on the last occasion we met, I made it quite clear that if private companies can get rid of single-use plastic on a commercial basis within five years we should not wait 12 years to do the same.

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