Tim O'Brien finds the welcome wasn't quite 100%. Most retailers and shoppers welcomed the introduction of the 15 cent levy on plastic shopping bags yesterday. But not all.
"That Noel Dempsey. I'm waiting for him to call, come the general election," said Maureen Donnelly of Donnellys newsagency on Dublin's Charlemont Street. "I live in Meath, he's my TD. You tell him I will be waiting. I'll hang him in the Garage!"
While last-minute canvassing in the abortion amendment may have been raising tempers elsewhere, Maureen's ire was reserved for the Minister's introduction of the 15 cent levy, which she said would give the smaller independent retailer extra work "collecting more tax for the Government".
Maureen, who was yesterday filling in for her daughters who normally run the business, said: "Nobody is going to pay the Minister's levy anyway. He should have put a tax on those who provided the bags in the first place, Dunnes Stores and Quinnsworth. We always used their bags here, people were very good about bringing them in. Even though nobody has asked for a bag today, it will give us extra work making VAT returns."
Also unimpressed was John Sweeney, who was collecting a ham salad roll and milk for his lunch. "No, I'm not going to pay a levy," said John, who was offered a smaller bag free. He declined it and left with the roll wrapped in clingfilm and a serviette.
Across the city, at Superquinn in Blackrock, customers were also refusing the plastic bags. "By 11.30 this morning we would normally have handed out hundreds of plastic shopping bags, but today the number sold was 25."
Superquinn, which hoped to save money buying plastic bags which it previously handed out free, said it would use the savings to absorb the recent VAT increase.
"That would cover a whole range of chocolates, biscuits and other foodstuffs, so we are passing on the money saved on the bags to save customers money on food," said a spokeswoman.
Tesco Ireland spokeswoman Ms Sarah Morris said there had been a "massive change in behaviour" at Tesco stores throughout Ireland. "People have been buying up the reusable bags at €1 and €1.26 for a few weeks and seemed well prepared. We sold very few plastic bags this morning."
At Dunnes Stores the experience was similar. "People seem very well prepared for the introduction of the levy," said Ms Linda O'Keefe. "People seem to have accepted the change and decided to use reusable bags. There has been a very low take-up of bags which carry the Government levy," she said.
At O'Briens sandwich bars in the city centre staff said the levy was having no effect as the products were sold in paper bags. "Either way, they are not used for a few minutes before hanging around in the environment for a hundred years waiting to degrade. I think the country will be a better place for the levy," said a staff member.