The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, launched last September, sets out a clear roadmap for the introduction of a national Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles and aluminium cans in the third quarter of 2022. This process is well under way with the completion of two public consultations on the design of a DRS for Ireland and on the legislative framework to underpin it. The final legislative framework will be introduced in the coming weeks. A working group, chaired by my Department and consisting of beverage producers, retailers, eNGOs and waste collectors, has been set up to progress the design of the system by the date set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.