Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
140. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will indicate the processes which he has put in place to set sectoral targets under Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19321/23]
View answerIreland’s strategic approach to the Circular Economy is currently set out in the Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy 2022-2023. Section 7 of the Circular Economy Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (‘the Act’) provides a statutory basis for future iterations of the Strategy, and also requires that such iterations include targets aimed at promoting circularity across the range of resource-intensive economic sectors specified in the Act.
My Department has begun preparing the second iteration of the Strategy, which will be published on a statutory basis and will be fully in compliance with the provisions of Section 7 of the Act. The new Strategy will be submitted for Government approval, following a public consultation, before the end of this year.
In order to provide a robust evidence base for the new Strategy, my Department is commissioning a national circularity assessment and material flow analysis, based on an internationally recognised methodology. This assessment will inform the sectoral priorities of the new Strategy in general and the setting of sectoral targets in particular. I intend to publish the results of the assessment either alongside or as part of the Strategy.
Additionally, a sectoral Circular Construction Roadmap is being prepared my Department, in conjunction with an expert subgroup of the Construction Sector Group chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. This work will, inter alia, inform the new Strategy’s approach to the Construction sector including target setting. The Roadmap will also be submitted to Government before the end of this year.
