Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of plastics. I publicly support the Green Party's desire to have microbeads outlawed or banned. I understand there is legislation that could come before the House in early course. I have done some research in this area recently. I am only sorry I did not focus on it sooner because it is such a serious issue. I went into a local convenience shop yesterday evening and bought a few healthy options to make a smoothie, not that the Members need to know what I am eating. I bought about €10 worth of items because it is a convenience shop. The only item that did not have a plastic package was the avocado. That is remarkable. Such packaging is convenient for the retailers. The retailers are trying to do us a service by providing us with food but we need to radically rethink the way we are operating in this area. I do not believe any of us necessarily need any of that plastic.

We have seen a good deal of coverage in the media recently about how damaging plastic is to the environment. Many supermarkets have plans but I do not believe they are strong enough considering the seriousness of this issue. It is very difficult for consumers to go into a shop and buy food without coming home with a load of plastic. Much of that plastic is made up of a variety of different types of plastics. Senator O'Sullivan would be in a better position to speak about this. Many different plastics go into the production of any one plastic item that one brings home. Therefore, they are difficult to recycle. It is an ever-increasing problem. The interesting study on fish life in the far reaches of the north-west Atlantic, carried out by NUIG, found that the fish there have a huge quantity of plastic in their stomachs, and we are consuming that fish.It is a very serious issue. It is a bit like other issues I speak about in that it will take more than just one approach to deal with it. We as leaders are going to have to lead on this. I am contributing to the problem. We are all contributing to it, for example, when we buy bottled water. All of those things have an effect. Plastic must be recycled. We need to start to think more seriously about how we are going to help the environment. I would appreciate a debate on the issue. It is something I have already requested. No doubt the Leader has sought to have such a debate. We need to have a debate on the environment and all parties need to take an interest in the environment.