Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Tackling food waste is one the most effective solutions in tackling our global climate targets. It is good for the environment and good for the pocket. Food waste is estimated to cost the average household €700 per year. Reducing our food waste is a common-sense way of saving money, as well as protecting the environment.

As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague Minister Ryan's Department of Environment, Climate Action and Communications is the lead Department on food waste prevention but across Government we are committed to reducing food waste.

My Department has responsibility for UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 which is to halve per capita global food waste at retail and consumer level and reduce food losses along production and supply chains. Addressing food waste is also identified as a priority action under the Food Vision 2030 strategy.

In that regard, my Department works very closely with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other relevant state agencies, to pursue ambitious food waste reductions and other measures that contribute towards a sustainable food chain in the agri-food sector.

My Department and its agencies support the prevention and reduction of food waste through a number of actions including the following:

- My Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund provides funding for initiatives that promote the reduction of food waste generated by food businesses, retailer/wholesalers or suppliers in rural areas.

- My Department funded the purchase of specialised equipment by the Prepared Consumer Food Centre at Teagasc, Ashtown, where small food companies can trial different food processes to reduce/recycle food waste and reduce packaging waste.

- My Department co-chairs the high-level Bioeconomy Implementation Group.

- My Department's calls for research proposals includes food waste as an eligible topic.

- In the fisheries sector, the discards ban, or Landing Obligation, has been fully implemented since 2019.

- Under the Origin Green programme, food waste is a mandatory target for all members in the retail and food service sector. Manufacturing food member companies will seek to further integrate company-wide actions to improve food waste prevention across their operations.

Following consultation with my Department, the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap was published by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications in November 2022 and includes 38 Priority Actions. My Department is either joint lead or a key stakeholder for several of the actions and will be working closely with the other bodies and stakeholders to help deliver those actions.

I assure the Deputy that I am committed to ensuring a reduction in Ireland’s food waste to help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and show our food producers that we value their work and the safe and nutritious food they work all year round to provide.