James Bannon (Fine Gael)

He does not have his finger on the pulse like I have or he would know the situation in rural Ireland. In 2005, some 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste were left uncollected on farms, despite the fact that farmers had paid a levy for its collection. When this is included with the farm plastic, which is illegally imported into the country — an estimated 30% of the total — and sold to unknowing farmers, it means the total volume of uncollected plastic over a two-year period has reached 23,000 tonnes. Farmers have paid levies of €1.27 million to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the collection of plastic waste and a further €1.6 million on illegally imported plastic, which has not been returned to the State. Due to the Minister's gross incompetence in turning a blind eye to the importation of illegal farm plastic, the whole recycling scheme has collapsed. The hard pressed farmers pay, yet again. They have been held to ransom and have had their livelihoods threatened over and over by the Minister, Deputy Roche. They are now expected to pay an additional €2.3 million to get the plastic collected.

The Department must fund and establish collection points for the recycling of farm plastic through local authorities. This should be co-ordinated with the current processors of farm plastic to ensure that material does not build up further.

As regards the nitrates directive, I have described the Minister, Deputy Roche, as "the grim reaper of Irish farming".