Three years on, still no ATM slip levies

THE Government has yet to introduce promised levies on chewing gum, bank machine slips, fast-food wrappers and packaging from fast food outlets, three years after their introduction was promised.

The levies proposals were to have been brought in by autumn 2003. At one point, the Government had hoped to impose a 5 cent levy on gum (yielding up to €5 million per annum); a 2% levy on fast food (worth €3.7m each year) and a 1% on ATM transactions (worth €400,000 annually).

Environment Minister Dick Roche has since announced a negotiated deal with the chewing gum industry. This will see it paying e6m over the next three years towards education and awareness campaigns, plus research and development.