Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Byrne's comments on the administration and uptake of the flu vaccine. It is important not just for the general population and I urge all staff of the Health Service Executive involved in health care - there are more than 120,000 of them - to get the flu jab. We spread it ourselves and it causes much more sickness for staff, leading to contamination of patients through contact. I want to comment on our zero capacity for landfill. I know the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment is to address the environment conference at Croke Park and will outline Ireland's approaching emergency with regard to waste if we exceed projections. In 2011, Ireland had 127 working landfill sites. Now there are just four with two taking the bulk of the country's waste. We know that too much food and organic waste ends up in our black bins. The Minister is to argue that Ireland is still producing too much waste. Could the Leader facilitate a debate on the memorandum the Minister will bring to Cabinet outlining a zero-tolerance to single-use plastics in Government and State-funded buildings? I note this House has done its bit in switching to recyclable cups for which I commend it but we need a full discussion on this matter because it will be a crisis in a year or two.