Gormley 'committed to penalties' in policing environment

The Minister for the Environment has said he is committed to introducing additional financial penalties to encourage people to be environmentally responsible.

John Gormley has been addressing around 300 delegates at a major conference on environmental policy and management in Dublin this morning.

He says fiscal levies on chewing gum and junk-food packaging could be brought in over the next five years.

The Minister said the plastic bag levy has proved that financial penalties do work.