Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Integrated Product Policies.

John Gormley

Question:

81 Mr. Gormley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific steps her Department has taken to implement the commitment in its Sustainable Development Strategy 2003-2005 to help Irish businesses introduce integrated product policies. [18595/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney):

Integrated product policy is a concept which is designed to improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle, encompassing the design, manufacture, marketing, use, recycling and disposal of products. It aims to reduce resource use, waste generation and the environmental impact of products. My Department is supporting a number of initiatives which will help Irish businesses to introduce integrated product policies. These are primarily undertaken through the environmental policy unit of Enterprise Ireland, which provides a range of environmental services for indigenous Irish business. The principal initiatives, all of which have been financially supported by my Department, are as follows.

Grant aid is provided to companies which wish to develop environmentally superior products. This scheme assists in reducing the environmental impact of products, without compromising product functionality, quality, ability to manufacture or cost. Grant aid is provided to assist companies to develop environmental management systems. Such systems help companies to reduce their environmental impact by improving the strategic capability of SMEs in the management of their environmental issues and to develop and exploit the market opportunities that improved environmental performance can provide. A comprehensive eco-efficiency assessment service is offered to companies to provide them with very detailed information on sustainability aspects of their operation. It covers aspects such as energy and materials consumption, waste, emissions and packaging. My Department has also provided specific financial assistance to Enterprise Ireland to develop a new website which provides a wide range of environmental information and advice to companies.

Implementing the commitment in my Department's sustainable development strategy in relation to integrated product policy is influenced by work currently being undertaken by the European Commission to develop this concept. Last month, the Commission published a communication on integrated product policy. This communication outlines the Commission's strategy on the subject and sets out the actions which the Commission propose to take to stimulate continuous improvement in the environmental performance of products throughout their whole life cycle. My Department is currently examining the communication and believes that it will be of assistance in progressing the further implementation of our commitment on integrated product policy in our strategy statement.