Results 14,961-14,980 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Second Stage (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I am very pleased to present the Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019 to the Seanad after its successful passage through the Dáil. The Bill represents our determination to be in the vanguard of safeguarding our environment, thus protecting future generations in the coming years. The cross-party support the Bill received in the Dáil was most welcome. It is gratifying to be able to...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Second Stage (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank Senators for their contributions. Many people are not aware of the huge amount of work that goes on in my Department in regard to the marine environment. There is not a great awareness of my responsibility in this area, as my public engagements tend to be dominated by the housing crisis. However, from the OSPAR Commission to the British-Irish Council, we are involved in a great...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The definition in the Bill as it stands provides that plastic retains its final manufactured shape when used. Some solid plastic, such as a plastic fibre, can be flexible. Its intrinsic shape remains and it is a solid, but it is flexible. The amendment, if accepted, would go beyond the scope of what is proposed in the legislation and would require further consultation at EU level. We have...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: We can discuss exemptions later but I do not intend to make any. I note the point made by the Senator. Plastic fibres will be covered. When we get to the area of polymers remaining in a fluid state, that is separate and it may potentially need to be addressed in future. There is no scope to address it in this Bill. I thank the Senator for raising the point.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank the Senators. We discussed this in the Dáil. Water solubility is mentioned because there is a direct pathway to our water systems and we are trying to prevent that. Cosmetic products that are wiped off are not meant to make their way to water courses, although they sometimes do. Education programmes tell people to put the product they use to remove a cosmetic in the bin, for...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Yes. It is my view that the example mentioned by the Senator would be captured in this legislation.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Where there is a direct pathway to water, they would be covered. This is why we must keep the science and this legislation under review. Under the REACH regulations we are trying to remove many of the polymers and plastics from any of these products and move to natural and organic materials where there are substitutes. There are such substitutes in so many cases. It is something we are...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The term "fat soluble" kind of threw me when I looked at the amendments. Is the Senator referring to oil-based products?

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Okay. I thank the Senator. I am not familiar with all of them.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: We are treating wear-off products differently to rinse-off products with this legislation. We are targeting rinse-off products because we know we can do it immediately. The debate around wear-off products needs to continue at a European Union level. The position for these two amendments is the same as that for the previous two amendments. It is something we believe must be considered and...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I absolutely appreciate the motivation behind the amendment. I am not trying to be difficult in saying that I cannot accept it. We debated the matter on Second Stage. I gave a commitment that we would look and consult international bodies on the matter. I said we would look again at the scientific research and evidence available to ensure that we were solid in terms of what we were...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I take the point the Senator is making. Some of the products that create a shimmer effect can do so through natural particles, rather than plastics.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Given the public outcry against this product or this type of material in products, producers will move to make replacements if they have not done so already. However, until we can be certain, we have to put the potential negative health impact first and foremost. The Senator referred to the single use plastics directive. That legislation will not fall under my remit. In a way, it is...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I will absolutely raise the matter with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, in that event.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I consider the legislation is strong enough in terms of the powers afforded to the Minister of the day concerning the directions he or she has to give. Therefore, the amendments are unnecessary.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: It is a good proposal and good wording. I am assured, however, that section 3(5) of the Bill will give me sufficient power to achieve the aim. If I were to make regulations around exemptions then I would be able to make sure that the language spoke to reuse or recycling. Again, at the moment I do not foresee making exemptions in the legislation so it may not be an issue at all as it comes...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Senator is correct to fear the wording and I appreciate her recognition of that. We have come back to this matter a couple of times in the debate. If one were an outsider looking in, one might think this is the one thing we are going to do on plastics and then we are going away somewhere for a while but we are only beginning this journey. There will be ample opportunities to use either...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Section 3 details exemptions.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Many of the exemptions at the beginning of the section are the types of things that we have been talking about such as medicinal products and sunscreen. Where the concerns of the Senators might be realised would be under section 3(3) where one exempts products.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Exactly. At the moment I do not foresee making any exemptions under that part of the Bill. I hope that this law will come into effect before the end of this year, so it will be the new law from 1 January. If I were to then go about making an exemption a process has to be followed by way of putting in place regulations, which takes a number of months. If one had the sunset clause in place,...