Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will be doing four things. We will work with the European institutions to implement a ban and restrictions on single-use plastics. That legislation is being developed at a European level, and we very much support it and want to be part of it. Legislation is going through these Houses to prohibit microbeads. We are also carrying out an examination of the practicalities of imposing a levy on single-use plastics, including plastic coffee cups, that cannot be recycled.

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Deputy Bruton, wants to look at the deposit protection scheme afresh. He is a new Minister and has been in the Department for only two weeks. The previous view of Government was the scheme as proposed by the Green Party would cost between €80 million and €100 million and only reduce the use of plastics by approximately 2%. Perhaps we are wrong and, therefore, we have decided to examine it afresh on that particular point.

If it makes sense, we will do it.

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