Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated revenue that could be raised from raising the landfill levy by €5, €10 and €15 per tonne respectively in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39912/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Estimated projections are shown in the table below. These are based on the actual leviable tonnes of waste to landfill from 2016 – 2019, from the published audited accounts available at  www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6b84-environment-fund-accounts/. The projected figures are approximate and do not take into account a wide range of variables such as varying degrees of behavioural change arising from different levels of increase, late interest payments, etc. The figures have been prepared as an approximate forecast only and do not necessarily reflect potential future increases to the landfill levy.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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72. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the introduction of the coffee cup levy; the estimated yield from a 25 cent levy on every disposable coffee cup in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39921/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The necessary legislative basis for the introduction of an environmental levy on disposable coffee cups is will be provided via the Circular Economy Bill, 2021. The General Scheme of the Bill was published in May 2021, and the aim is to seek its  enactment as a priority before the end of this year.

Precise details regarding scope and rate of the levy on disposable coffee cups will then be set out in related secondary legislation, with the intention of bringing the levy into force as early as possible in 2022.

My Department does not hold any reliable data regarding the current total number of disposable coffee cups used each year, and so cannot provide the requested estimated yield. I would however point out that the introduction of this environmental levy is not primarily intended as a revenue raising measure, but rather as a means of incentivising increased use of affordable,

re-usable alternatives to disposable coffee cups. Such cups are single use items which represent an almost entirely avoidable waste stream.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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73. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated yield from a 10 or 25 cent levy on every plastic bottle sold in Ireland, a 10 or 25 cent levy on every fruit and vegetable sold in plastic and a 10 or 25 cent levy on disposable takeaway containers in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39922/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The information requested is not available.

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, outlines a range of measures that will be implemented over a five year period to address the environmental threat arising from plastic, particularly single use plastics. These include a ban on a range of single use plastic products which has been in place since 3rd July 2021 and the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles in Q3 2022.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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74. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated yield from expanding the plastic bag levy to include medium-weight plastic bags and increasing the tax from 22c to 25c from 1 January 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39923/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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In relation to the categories of bags currently subject to the plastic bag levy (PBL), based on the levy's performance in recent years until 31 December 2020, my Department's best estimate is that an increase in the rate from 22c to 25c would result in an initial additional levy yield in the region of €570,000 per annum. This estimate is calculated as follows:

It should be noted that PBL yields have been in decline over a number of years in line with decreased use of the relevant single use plastic bags. As such, the estimate provided here should be treated as highly provisional. I would also point out that the primary function of the levy is not to be a revenue raising measure, but rather to incentivise increased use of affordable, sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bags, such bags representing an almost entirely avoidable waste stream.

In relation to medium weight plastic bags, which I take to be those for which consumers are currently charged at least 70c at the point of sale, as these bags are not currently subject to the levy my Department holds no information in relation to the number used each year. Therefore I cannot provide the requested estimate in relation to any extension of the PBL to cover such bags.