News

Ireland abandons plan to place consumer tax on ATM receipts

March 16, 2005

Ireland Online: The Government has reportedly abandoned its plans to introduce consumer taxes on ATM receipts, chewing gum and fast-food wrappings.

Reports said the decision followed intense lobbying by commercial interests like gum-maker Wrigley, the McDonald's fast-food chain and the Irish Bankers Federation.

The Government had been planning to introduce a consumer tax on all packets of chewing gum to meet the cost of cleaning gum of streets and footpaths.

Similar measures were being planned to cover the cost of cleaning up discarded ATM receipts and fast-food wrappings.

The Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said that he had decided to shelve the plan to allow companies involved to come up with their own proposals on how to address the litter problems.

Read more...

Read related story from our archives: Irish politician targets litter with ATM tax