Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the EU Single Use Plastics Directive has been transposed into Irish law given that he committed to transposing same by 3 July 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55640/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Delays by the EU Commission in producing the necessary guidance and implementing legislation caused significant difficulties for all Member States in meeting the deadline for transposing this Directive. Ireland, in common with some other Member States, decided to transpose the Directive in stages.  .

The initial transposition of the Directive was completed by the 3rd July deadline, when necessary market restrictions were introduced for certain single use plastic products. The EU (Single Use Plastics)(No. 2) Regulations (SI 516 of 2021) of 8th October 2021 subsequently transposed the vast majority of the remaining provisions of the Directive.

The final transposition requirement, which relates to the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for commercial fishing gear, is underway and will be completed by the end of 2021.