Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome this amendment. It sets out a very clear strategy. I will speak very briefly about electronic equipment. The Minister will be aware of the "right to repair" movement, which is gathering a head of steam globally. This applies to all of us and our personal consumption, particularly of electronic goods and white goods such as smartphones. The concept of built-in obsolescence is becoming quite painful for consumers. It is annoying that we cannot have recourse to repair for a product we have purchased. The Minister will say we do not want to move ahead of EU law in relation to harmonisation rules. I anticipate his reply and I appreciate that dynamic but we should take due cognisance of this movement around the right to repair.

On this small little island, we are sitting on mountains of electronic detritus. It is the same detritus that 20 years ago we would have sought to repair, for example, a toaster, dishwasher or phone. People are sick to the back teeth of this built-in obsolescence and having to replace goods annually or biannually. It is just not good enough. If we can be the first country in the world to move head of the European Union, we should be that radical and ambitious. If we can instil within circular economy legislation this concept of the right to repair, allowing independent businesses to repair products made by the likes of Apple, Samsung and so on, we should seek to embrace that.

I hope that concept will be instilled within the subsection that deals specifically with electronic equipment.

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