Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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103. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) that highlights the benefits plastic packaging offers with regard to food preservation; and his views on the relationship between food waste and packaging technologies. [35810/20]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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104. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if, in keeping with the findings of a report (details supplied), there is a risk that with moving away from plastic, food waste will increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35811/20]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his Department has considered that promoting packaging-free foodstuffs would lead to an increase in food waste; the estimated level of increase in food waste as a result of same; the estimated carbon footprint of that food waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35812/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.

I recently launched a new Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy on 4 September 2020. The Action Plan includes a range of ambitious, holistic measures to reform and strengthen how we manage our waste. The Plan commits to ensuring that all packaging placed on the market is reusable or recyclable by 2030. This will be achieved through the eco-modulation of extended producer responsibility fees whereby recyclable packaging will have substantially reduced fees, while non-recyclable, composite packaging and over-packaging will attract a heavier fee.

In the context of food waste, the Plan commits to working with a range of stakeholders to develop a Food Waste Prevention Roadmap. This Roadmap will set out a series of actions to deliver the reductions necessary to halve our food waste by 2030, meet any other related targets, and promote our transition to a circular economy.

The  Plan acknowledges the role which packaging plays for food hygiene and we commit to work with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on measures relevant to food contact packaging, acknowledging in particular the health and safety requirements.

In addition, the Plan acknowledges the role of packaging in food preservation with a commitment to support the design and roll out of packaging developed by retailers and the packaging industry that meets the needs of food preservation without encouraging the generation of packaging waste, especially plastic packaging.