Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 1069: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the studies that have been carried out on the effectiveness of the plastic bag levy since its introduction; the amount raised by the levy to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1292/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Following the introduction of the plastic bag levy a national survey on the Environment "Attitudes and Actions 2003" found that 91% of those surveyed believed that the levy is a good idea. Among the many reasons given were that it is better for the environment, there are no plastic bags visible in the streets and that re-usable bags are more convenient for holding shopping.

The National Litter Pollution Monitoring System is used to measure the impact of the plastic bag levy on an ongoing basis. This showed that plastic bags accounted for approximately 5% of litter arisings prior to the introduction of the levy. By 2005 this had decreased to 0.22%. In 2006 data from the National Litter Pollution Monitoring Body showed an increase in the proportion of litter arising from plastic bags to 0.52%. As a result it was decided to increase the levy from 15 cent to 22 cent with effect from 1 July 2007. The most recent data from the National Litter Pollution Monitoring Body has reported that plastic bags accounted for 0.29% of litter arising in 2007.

My Department also studies the receipts from the plastic bag levy in order to monitor trends in the average per capita consumption of plastic bags. This data indicates that average per-capita usage of plastic bags has dropped from an estimated 328 bags prior to the introduction of the levy to a level of 26 bags per head of population in 2007. Copies of the Environment Fund's Annual Accounts up to and including 2006 are available in the Oireachtas library and detail the amount received in respect of the plastic bag levy for years prior to 2007. The 2007 Annual Accounts will be lodged in the Oireachtas library in due course after they have been audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.