Not sure you can differenciate,whether old, poor,unfortunateor whatever it is the user of the bag as such the price is on,it isn't imo wrong,re use bags as said before,simply has to be done.

with all due respect, pa lapsy if that was the case why don't we just snuff out the infirm & save the whales instead

Because ar4eholes are going getting their shop without bags and expecting to pay nothing for them,moaning when they have to and not giving two fecks to the non biodegradable material thay are feckin into landfill,mise le meas

Bap, what's wrong with reusing a bag and how is it taxing the poor?

Okay.  Peace man "spliff emiji"

Anything that is free has tended to be less appreciated and abused eg our NHS. A £1 charge for a plastic bag is good merely to show the Irish we are doubly more serious than them to have a friendlier environment for our future generations.

Sorry Bap,i got a bit emotive, i do think the planet is suffering by plastic,it has to be cut,tax bags and everything and cut down on it, it is a huge problem and not getting smaller

i'm not like that (much), i try a bit myself, i don't want no dolphins or whatever going around with a load of plastic inside them,that is all

I can't give you the answer bap but it is up to people in general to try.

i will leave you all with a small question (and thanks to all for the chat tonight) Where did you 1st here about plastic pollution and when?

I think it is a good idea, not sure it will make that much difference.

In answer to previous posts, I hear about plastic pollution from animal charities, plastic harms wild animals no end.

I would like to see it dealt with'

The basic problem is that most people don’t give a xxxx about the planet.
I’m now 60 and have never dropped a piece of litter and recently have been down one of our local lanes cleaning up litter (35 bin bags worth).
In a few months it will be as bad as ever, no doubt.

Used packaging has no value ... that is the problem.
The price of any commodity should factor in the cost of recycling its packaging and the tax should be ring fenced to deal with it.

Still, Bach, I don’t think you get it. My ageing mother is quite capable of re-using plastic bags and deems “wicked” those who do not.
Surely those you speak of could manage with a couple of bags for life?

i think this topic needs livening up. Why not just ban plastic bags in supermarkets all together?

Baph,
So which is it?
Ban, 5p or free?

Are you trying to confuse me?

OK. So you have reverted to your original view.
Fair enough.

12:30

When stuff is free, people overuse it without thought as to whether they need it or not.  The nominal charge on plastic bags is about changing mindset and behaviour - since the charge, I bring my own bag every time I go to the supermarket, whereas in the past I'd just grab as many as I needed and toss them in the bin; it's as simple as that.  In France, they don't even have plastic bags available in supermarkets - only the big permanent bags that are a couple of euros each.

imo, exactly the same principle applies with the NHS.  If they charged £1 for a GP appointment and A&E visit, then all those who use those expensive services frivolously and thoughtlessly would stop and think about whether they really need them.   Of course, you'd not apply to certain people, say the over 70's and those blue lighted into A&E.  The savings to the NHS would be billions.
And if you think I'm talking rubbish, then that's exactly what happened in Cyprus a few years ago.  They introduced a small charge for GP and A&E services (OK it was €10) but usage dropped by about 80%.  I genuinely think this is the best policy you could possibly apply to the NHS, which would clear away many of the time wasters and malingerers and free up the service for those that genuinely need it.

not the time or place to go into the NHS, Danno but destroying management consultant costs & overspending on all clerical staff; including training (35 million set aside already for training) would alleviate some of the issues as well

Danno

Did they charge the fee whether you saw the doctor or not?

Think the idea suggested here was to charge for making an appointment, if you turned up then you got a refund, if not then you paid the fee.

When I'm sitting at my GP they have an information screen and it shows the amount of 'did not shoes' for appointments for the month and its usually around the 300/400 mark.

Some of us are still poles apart!