Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 12:

In page 10, to delete lines 28 to 33 and substitute the following: “(6) (a) For the purposes of the development of the circular economy, the circular economy strategy—

(i) shall set out targets, in accordance with paragraph (b), in respect of each of the following sectors of the economy:

(I) construction;

(II) agriculture;

(III) retail;

(IV) packaging;

(V) textiles;

(VI) electronic equipment,

(ii) may set out targets, in accordance with paragraph (b), in relation to such sectors of the economy other than those referred to in subparagraph (i), if any, as the Minister considers appropriate, and

(iii) shall promote the use of criteria relating to the circular economy in public procurement.

(b) The targets to be set out in respect of a sector of the economy under paragraph (a)(i)or (ii)shall include any or all of the following as the Minister considers appropriate for the sector concerned:

(i) reductions in material resource consumption and the use of non-recyclable materials;

(ii) increases in the use of re-usable products and materials;

(iii) increased levels of repair and re-use of products and materials;

(iv) improved maintenance and optimised use of goods, products and materials.

(c) The Minister shall consult with such other Minister of the Government, if any, as he or she considers appropriate in relation to the targets to be set out in the strategy.

(d) The Minister shall, in relation to those sectors of the economy in respect of which targets have been set out in the strategy in accordance with this subsection, promote the entering into by participants in those sectors, on a voluntary basis, of sectoral agreements in respect of those targets.”.

I thank Deputy Bruton. These amendments come out of some of the proposals he made on Committee Stage. They will place a mandatory obligation on the Minister to set targets in the circular economy strategy. The word used is "shall" not "may", meaning it is mandatory. It is appropriate to specify individual sectors in respect of which mandatory reporting targets should be set with regard to public procurement and promoting voluntary sectoral agreements for the targets set under the strategy. This strengthens and broadens the Bill in a way that is appropriate.

Amendment No. 12 amends section 7 to provide that the Minister must set sector-specific targets in the strategy, must promote the use of circular economy criteria in public procurement and must promote voluntary sectoral agreements for targets. I thank Deputy Bruton for his contribution to these amendments, as well as the other Deputies who contributed to the debate on the issue.

Amendment No. 14 provides for a consequential amendment to section 7(7) as a result of the changes outlined to section 7(6). As amendment No. 12 already provides for mandatory targets, amendment No. 13 is not necessary and therefore I will not be accepting it.

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