Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 774: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 524 of 11 October 2005 the progress to date following the discussions with IFFPG; if he will provide the €2.5 million required to complete the 2005 collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33032/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers — manufacturers and importers — of farm plastics such as silage bale wrap and sheeting are required to take steps to recover farm plastics waste which they have placed on the market or alternatively to contribute to, and participate in, compliance schemes to recover the waste in question. The Irish Farm Film Producers Group, IFFPG, is currently the sole approved body in Ireland for the purposes of implementing a compliance scheme for the recovery of farm plastics waste.

Under the IFFPG scheme, producers apply a levy on the sale of farm plastics that in turn is transferred to the IFFPG for use in funding the collection and recovery of farm plastics waste. The IFFPG is a not-for-profit organisation and it is a matter for the company, under the terms of this producer responsibility initiative and in accordance with the polluter pays principle, to set a rate of levy which will cover its operational costs.

While responsibility for the collection and recovery of farm plastics rests with the compliance scheme, the Department monitors the scheme on an ongoing basis. Discussions are continuing involving the Department and IFFPG and other stakeholders to explore options for improvement to the scheme and resolution of outstanding issues.