The amounts raised by the Plastic Bag Levy are available and contained in the published accounts of the Environment Fund, available on my Department's website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/EnvironmentFund/. The 2014 Accounts have not yet been finalised.
The proceeds of the environmental levy on the supply of plastic bags, collected by the Revenue Commissioners, and the environmental levy on the landfilling of waste, collected by local authorities, are both paid into the Environment Fund. The Environment Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001 with effect from 17 July 2001, to be managed and controlled by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Funding from the Environment Fund can be used for activities or initiatives in a range of areas such as, inter alia:
- schemes to prevent/reduce waste and waste recovery activities;
- research & development into waste management;
- production, distribution or sale of products deemed to be less harmful to the environment than other similar products;
- development of producer initiatives to prevent/reduce waste arising from their activities;
- promotion of awareness of the need to protect the environment, including national and regional campaigns;
- promotion/support of education and training to assist achievement of campaign objectives;
- initiatives undertaken by community groups and others for protection of the environment;
- initiatives undertaken by international organisations and others for protection of the environment and/or sustainable development; and
- such other purposes for the protection of the environment as may be prescribed by the Minister in regulations.
Details of expenditure from the Environment Fund, including expenditure across the local government sector, are also contained in the published accounts of the Environment Fund at the link above. However, a breakdown of all expenditures by local authority is not available.
