Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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160. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address an issue of small retailers collecting plastic bottles (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24060/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government’s commitment to introduce a Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers is set out in the Programme for Government and Ireland's national waste policy, A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.

Drinks containers are typically consumed on the go and are often thrown away in mixed waste or littered rather than being recycled. DRS is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle bottles and cans and to ensure we meet EU targets for the recycling of those products.

In November 2021, I signed regulations to establish a national DRS. In July 2022, I approved Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG (trading as Re-turn) as the DRS operator. Re-turn is a not-for-profit, industry-led body representing beverage producers and retailers. DRS was officially launched in November 2022 and the planned go-live date for consumers is 1^stFebruary 2024.

Under the DRS regulations, retailers are obliged to charge the consumer a deposit for every in-scope drink sold, to take back the empty drink container and to refund the deposit when it is returned for recycling. Retailers have two options when providing take-back services:

• Manual collection by storing returned containers in plastics bags or similar, or
• Automated collection through the use of reverse vending machines (RVMs).