Sinn Féin has hit out at manufacturers in Ireland and accused them of creating a "conveyor belt" of waste in the country.

TD Brian Stanley also slammed the Government and said it has "little interest" in changing the situation.

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Stanley said: "The waste keeps being produced, with excessive packaging on products. Plastic used in packaging accounts for 40% of Europe's overall plastics. At the end of this conveyor belt it creates a burden on the ordinary householder.

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"The principles of 'reduce, reuse and recycle' needs to form the foundation of Government policy and we need solutions to be put forward to solve the horrific problems with pollution across this State.

"Sinn Féin has put forward a bill last year on establishing a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles. The bill contained other provisions in terms of illegal dumping.

"Considering the problem we are facing it will take effective legislation and action but this Government are simply not out of the blocks."

(CD/LM)