Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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521. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department had studied the work of an organisation (details supplied) by which the Scottish Government tries to accelerate the development of a circular economy; if the targets aimed for by the organisation could be a model for a similar approach here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11673/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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A review of "A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland" will commence this year. This review process will take account of a number of initiatives, such as the European Circular Economy waste and plastics legislation framework and the reports from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Price Monitoring Group. This process will inform the development of future national waste management policy, including our environmental goals, regulatory and market structures, and policy instruments and tools.

In that context, officials from my Department are currently reviewing Circular Economy Action Plans published throughout the EU in preparation for development of our own Circular Economy Action Plan. This includes the work of the Scottish government. The Department has also funded a report by the National Economic and Social Council on 'Moving towards the Circular Economy in Ireland'.

While we can learn from existing plans in operation in other jurisdictions, it is accepted that any new policy design will need to take into consideration the context of Ireland's economy and will need to be aligned with our wider policy goals.