The Government is to outline plans in the coming weeks for a new tax or an outright ban on traditional light bulbs to encourage people to switch to more environmentally-friendly low-energy bulbs.
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said yesterday that proposals for the tax or ban would be included in a new strategy on climate change to be published next month. No estimate has been given as to the amount of such a tax, but it could be as high as the current difference between the cost of traditional bulbs and energy-saving alternatives - about €4.
Such a tax could be introduced before an EU-wide ban, as proposed by the European Union presidency last Friday. Traditional or "incandescent" bulbs use up to five times more energy than low-energy alternatives, since up to 95 per cent of the energy is converted into heat rather than light.
Mr Roche told The Irish Times yesterday that his department had been focusing on the concept of a levy or tax because of concerns that an outright ban on the bulbs by Ireland could breach EU competition rules.
"Where a good environmental case can be made, an outright ban is worth considering. If a ban is not possible, a case can be made for a product levy. We did that very successfully with the plastic bag levy."
The Minister said that the aim of a light bulb levy was the same as the plastic bag tax - to get consumers to switch to a more environmentally-friendly alternative.
"We have been considering either an outright ban or a levy on incandescent light bulbs as part of our climate change review," he said. "I was concerned, however, that we might run into difficulties with the EU if we took unilateral action."
Last Friday's initiative by the German presidency of the EU for an outright ban was "very welcome", but Ireland could show leadership on the issue in advance of an EU-wide move.
The proposals would be listed as a priority for implementation later this year or early next year.
A ban or levy on traditional light bulbs has the potential of saving over one million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. Lighting accounts for up to 20 per cent of the electricity used in standard Irish homes and up to 40 per cent in businesses.