Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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124. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the commencement of operations of the deposit return scheme; the steps that have been taken by his Department in order to engage with local businesses for the setting-up of local facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28540/22]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020, sets out a clear roadmap for the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans. The scheme will be launched later this year. My Department has established a Deposit Return Scheme sub-group of the Waste Advisory Group with representatives from the producers, retailers, environmental NGOs and the waste sector and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to meet the target date for the introduction of this scheme.

A public consultation on the design options for the scheme was carried out in October 2020 and a second public consultation, focusing on the preferred model, was carried out in March 2021.  In November last year, the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations 2021 were signed, providing the legal framework for the establishment of the scheme, the terms under which a scheme operator may be approved and the obligations that will fall to producers, retailers and return point operators under the scheme.

The next step in the process is the appointment of an approved body to operate the scheme. Engagement with businesses and local community groups will build on previous engagements carried out by my Department through the DRS sub-group and public consultation processes, and will be further considered along with other operational issues by the operator during the design of the scheme.