Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his speech on this important issue. It has already been acknowledged but I wish to acknowledge the work of my Green Party colleague and former Senator, Grace O'Sullivan, who drafted legislation on this issue. It was presented in the Chamber in 2016. Here we are three years later. It is welcome to see the Bill here.

The impact of plastic, not only in its manufacture but in its use and disposal, is vast. The term "microbeads" would have been unfamiliar to many three or four years ago but it is a familiar term nowadays. That is welcome and it is welcome that the Bill is before the Chamber now.

We should be careful to ensure that the Bill is robust and strong enough to offer full protection to our environment, especially its waterways and oceans. We must not permit loopholes to exist in the Bill that would challenge that protection. That is the basis of many of our amendments to the Bill. It is promising to hear the Minister acknowledge that the science is constantly changing. We strongly believe the Bill must reflect that fact.

Will the Minister comment on the EU derogation that was sought? I do not believe the wording of the derogation was subject to consultation in the Dáil or among other stakeholders, especially the NGOs and scientists who are working actively in this area. Will the Minister clarify whether such consultation took place and, if not, why not?