Seanad debates

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages

 

4:00 pm

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Senator Ó Domhnaill knows the plastic bag levy has nothing to do with raising revenue. Rather, this environmental measure was introduced to dictate consumer behaviour. I congratulate the former Ministers, Mr. Noel Dempsey and Mr. Dick Roche, on introducing and increasing this levy, respectively. They had good reasons for doing so.

We want to divert plastic from landfill and every other part of the waste chain. The plastic bag levy was introduced in 2002 at a rate of 15 cent per bag primarily as an anti-litter initiative. An astounding success, it led to an immediate decrease in customer usage of plastic bags from 328 bags per person per annum to 21 bags per person per annum. Plastic bags went from comprising 5% of visible litter to 0.32% in 2002. There was a subsequent gradual increase in plastic bag usage. By 2006, usage had increased to 30 bags per person. In light of this, Mr. Roche increased the levy to 22 cent per bag in July 2007. This resulted in a decrease in plastic bag usage levels per person in 2008. To respond to Senator Mooney, the latest data indicate that, in 2010, consumer usage was at the rate of 18 bags person. The National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Report 2010 indicated that plastic bags represent 0.25% of all litter arising.

The amendments will defeat the purpose of a levy as a deterrent or as an opportunity to influence consumer behaviour in respect of plastic bags, which we all want to get rid of. It was for this purpose that Ministers introduced and increased the plastic bag charge and I included an enabling provision up to a maximum of 70 cent, if the Minister of the day so wishes. The levy cannot increase by more than 10% per annum plus the consumer price index.

Neither I nor my successors would want to end up in a situation in which, due to certain consumer behaviour, we found it necessary to introduce further primary legislation amending this Bill or the Litter Acts to increase the levy again so as to ensure there was less plastic in the waste chain. I am including an enabling provision up to a maximum of 70 cent. The Senators' amendments would tie the hands of future Ministers for the Environment, Community and Local Government when adopting measures to address consumer behaviour and the ongoing major problem throughout our countryside posed by plastic bags. Like everyone else, I want to see less plastic. We want to use a financial instrument called an environmental levy - the plastic bag levy - to assist policy in this regard by acting as a deterrent, changing consuming behaviour and meeting the objectives we all desire. By accepting this amendment, I would defeat the purpose of the objective in favour of which the Senator spoke.

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