Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
89. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how it is intended to have each of the major sectors adopt a circular approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28682/23]
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 sectoral 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, and will be underpinned by an analysis of the respective resource consumption of the major economic sectors.
A Circular Construction Sectoral Roadmap is also 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 Roadmap will identify opportunities for embedding circularity with the Construction and Demolition sector, and will also be submitted to Government before the end of this year.
My Department also provides funding to Ireland's circular manufacturing platform, Circuléire, which aims to source, test, and finance circular manufacturing systems, supply chains and circular business models. Additional funding is also being provided to Circuléire to develop a proposal regarding the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Circular Innovation. Government expects to receive this proposal for consideration before the end of Q3 2023.
