Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason he plans to allow for permit exemption for specific waste streams under Article 24 of the 2008 Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EU); the further reason it is proposed in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy that construction and demolition waste, one of the largest waste streams, will receive an exemption permit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28088/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department has engaged in extensive discussions with the construction industry in relation to construction and demolition (C&D) waste at a number of fora including the Construction Waste Resource Group and the cross-sectoral Waste Advisory Group. Arising from these discussions, the planning for, and management of, C&D waste has been identified as a priority area in Ireland's new national waste policy A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. A number of other Member States have utilised the exemptions available under Article 24 of the Waste Framework Directive to manage the treatment of particular waste streams, including C&D waste. The new Waste Action Plan commits to reviewing how Article 24 exemptions are utilised in these other Member States with a view to informing how the exemption process can help manage certain waste streams to support resource efficiency and the transition to a more circular economy while also safeguarding human health and the environment.

In addition, the plan commits to establishing a working group to examine how Article 24 exemptions can encourage greater repair, reuse or recycling in appropriate waste streams, including reuse in the C&D sector.  Finally, the plan specifically proposes the use of the exemption process to manage the on-site treatment of invasive alien plant species, including on C&D sites, as such an exemption would help mitigate environmental risks associated with transporting this material to off-site treatment facilities.