Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
123. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the employees of a company (details supplied) that operates the deposit return scheme are public servants; and if so, the salary level of the management of that company. [18502/24]
View answer124. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount that a company (details supplied) which operates the deposit return scheme receives from the public purse. [18503/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together.
On 1 July, 2022, I approved an application from Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG (trading as Re-turn) to operate the DRS as an approved body under the Separate Collection (Deposit Return) Regulations, 2024 (S.I. No. 33 of 2024). Re-turn is a new, not for profit company set up by beverage producers to meet their obligations under the regulations. The employees of the company are not public servants.
Re-turn and the DRS are funded through producer fees, income from the sale of material collected and unredeemed deposits. No public or Government funding is used for the operation of DRS. Last year, to ensure producers, retailers and consumers were aware of the scheme's go-live in February, I made a grant of €500,000 to Re-turn towards its public awareness campaign.
