Seanad debates

Thursday, 7 July 2022

Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages

 

9:30 am

Photo of Alice-Mary HigginsAlice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If non-Government amendments are included, perhaps the Leas-Chathaoirleach might indicate which ones are included. Again, we are only seeing this grouping now and it is a bit unclear. I do not believe I have any amendments in this grouping but I am double checking. I recognise that Senator Pauline O'Reilly and others raised important points regarding flimsy reusable items and that some of these are being addressed. We will come later to amendments addressing some of the other important factors that need to looked at, for example, the use of virgin plastic and others. It is regrettable that the Bill as a whole has not been more ambitious when we looked at the wider scope of the circular economy. There has been a lot of discussion about which cup versus which other cup or whether cups are half full or half empty. The point is that they are still just cups. The fact that the debate to date has largely focused on the issue of cups when we have massively important issues to address not simply at consumption point but in terms of production point in the circular economy is perhaps reflective of a lack of ambition. Solely addressing the issue of single-use items and not addressing those very substantial and constructive proposals that were put forward by all of us on the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action is a pity.

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