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Agriculture Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Questions (2027)

Matt Carthy

Question:

2027. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 785 of 15 September 2021, the results of his engagements to date with maize growers, producers of plastic film and his counterparts in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications arising from SI No. 326 of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2540/22]

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Written answers

As the Deputy is aware my ministerial colleague Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Communications  Eamonn Ryan T.D, is responsible for the provisions contained in the Council Directive 2019/904, known as the Single Use Plastic Directive.   These Regulations prohibit the marketing of single use plastics from 3rd July 2021 and  includes films of the type used to sow covered maize up to that time.  However, maize growers may use existing stocks of maize plastic that were purchased prior to the commencement of this legislation. 

I, and my officials have continually engaged with the sector and producers of plastic film and will continue to do so as necessary. The producers of plastic film continue in their efforts to develop alternative products that will be compliant with these new Regulations. Significant progress has recently been reported in developing new compliant plastic films. The effectiveness of these new compliant films has not yet been independently verified and my Department has impressed upon the producers of maize plastic the need for independent research to show their effectiveness.

In addition officials in my Department have had several engagements with officials in the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Communications regarding the regulation and the impact on maize growers.

In parallel, in terms of support for the sector, my Department re-commenced Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials for uncovered maize, in 2020 to identify varieties better suited to Irish growing conditions and which do not require plastic covering.  This work will build on the 2015 Uncovered Recommended List in which a high performing variety was identified, and which is currently available on the Irish market for growers.

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