Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome those general approaches, which are largely EU driven, the reality is that we have the lowest circularity rate in Europe at approximately 1.6%. The average is 11.8%. Only 10% of waste is recovered in the construction sector for any sort of useful approach. If we do not start to dig into the sectors and see what is wrong within them, we will fail. Timber use in construction is very low, even though timber is a carbon sink, whereas concrete is a huge source of carbon usage and emissions.

Some 25% of our food is wasted. We need to dig into individuals sectors. I ask the Minister to look to his Department to set up sectoral initiatives and convene an approach in order that each sector will start to see how it can actively decarbonise and reduce other materials or practices that are damaging to the environment.

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