This month's Irish Business Against Litter survey found an increase in the number of cigarette butts around our community. Cigarette butts cause damage to the environment in a number of ways. They are microplastics. They leach into the water system. It has been estimated that one butt can contaminate 1,000 litres of water, yet throughout the country, local authorities are doing nothing in their plans to educate or to enforce the law. Even here, in the smoking area just outside, there are butts scattered around. The Taoiseach should see the Department of agriculture building, where there is a massive number. There is significant ignorance and it is damaging our environment. We need to get a little tougher about it. I know it is not the biggest issue in the world but it is for the fish in the ocean and the lakes.

It is a no-brainer. I am appalled that there are cigarette butts on the ground outside State institutions. It should not happen. It is just unacceptable. Every individual has responsibilities in that regard but we do, as institutions of the State, have responsibilities to make sure that does not happen. I will ask for a re-examination of that and see what measures can be taken to clamp down on this.