The programme for Government contains a commitment to improve the environment. I want to talk about a report in the Irish Independent on a whale that was washed up in Asian waters. I argue that the contents of its stomach could be found inside any large sea animal washed up in Irish waters. They included 115 plastic cups, two flip-flops, 13 lbs of trash, four plastic bottles, 25 plastic bags and more than 1,000 other items. What plans does the Government have to clean up the waters around the Irish coastline, the Atlantic ocean and the Irish Sea, which, as the Taoiseach knows, are very much polluted with plastics, causing detrimental effects for the health of the fish that swim in them?

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important question. In total, the European Union releases about 200,000 tonnes of plastics into the oceans. There is a serious problem throughout the Union which has decided in principle that it will introduce a ban on the use of single use plastics which will I hope become enforceable early in the new year. Obviously, the directive has to be finalised, but it will give us the potential to introduce similar bans. On microbeads, as the Deputy knows, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has the approval of the Government to introduce a Bill which it is hoped which will be passed before the end of the year. On a wider front, we are seeking to dramatically increase our recovery and recycling of plastics and reduce the use of packaging. We will publish targets to deliver these outcomes.