Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for attending the House. The Irish Farm Films Producer Group, IFFPG, collected over 12,500 tonnes of plastic farm film from farmers in the first eight months of 2004. There is a great demand from farmers for these collections but the scheme has ceased until next year due to insufficient funding. The volume of plastic film collected last year represented an increase of 47% over the previous year and 50% above the Government agreed target for 2005. The total amount forecast for 2005 is double the 2004 figure of 8,500 tonnes and there is a great response from the farming community, which is anxious to deal in a responsible way with its used film. Its members must be complimented on this.

The IFFPG has exceeded its budgeted targets and suspended collections in September. Farmers must now store the waste plastic film until collections resume. The industry must receive credit for its efforts to eliminate pollution and protect the environment and it is essential that these collections resume as a matter of urgency as a backlog currently exists. From an environmental point of view, this is unacceptable and I ask that the Minister of State does his utmost to ensure this problem is dealt with soon.