Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
188. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the possibility of a good Samaritan law, requiring retailers to donate food that would otherwise be disposed of to charity will be considered as part of the development of a draft national food waste prevention roadmap. [11702/22]
View answerThe Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy which was published in September 2020, and is being delivered on a phased basis over the 5 year lifetime of the Plan, includes the following measures in relation to food donation:
- Investigate the regulatory and legal barriers to ‘Good Samaritan’ acts of donation and whether mandatory donation of edible food from retail outlets would reduce food waste;
- Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Food Waste Charter, support a voluntary target with retailers and the processing industry for a percentage of edible food to be donated;
- Support food donation and investigate ways to simplify food donation for business.
The above measures are also included in the draft National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap, which is currently undergoing public consultation. All submissions and feedback received through this consultation will be considered before the Roadmap is finalised and published, including those in relation to supporting food donation as a means of addressing foodwaste.
The consultation documents on the draft roadmap can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/96a04-public-consultation-on-the-draft-national-food-waste-prevention-roadmap/
