Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 149 together.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Regulations impose obligations on the beverage industry to establish and operate a DRS. These businesses are critical to the operation and success of the scheme and have shown great commitment and leadership in coming together to ensure DRS is a success.

Supports from Re-Turn, the DRS operator, are in place for small businesses in the form of reduced or waived fees, financial assistance and exemptions, summarised below:

- Fee packages are in place for micro producers (those who sell less than 1.5m DRS units per year) and for small producers (those who sell less than 10m DRS products per year).

- An alternative labelling option in the form of a sticker, to supplement rather than replace existing packaging, is available from Re-turn to assist small-scale operators, or those whose products were not specifically produced for the Irish market, comply with DRS labelling requirements.

- All retailers will receive a handling fee for each container they take back. Handling fees are intended to offset the cost of collection infrastructure, retail floor space, staff costs and security. The level of handling fee payable is determined by Re-turn and is subject to independent, third-party verification.

- In addition to handling fees, a number of other supports are in place from Re-turn to assist small retailers, including exemptions from take-back services and financial support for the installation of Reverse Vending Machines.

- A transition period of four-months is in place to allow for the phase out of old ‘non-DRS labelled’ stock and new introduction of new ‘DRS labelled’ stock.

- Further details of the supports for businesses is available on Re-turn’s at re-turn.ie or by contacting Re-turn at info@re-turn.ie.

Small businesses may also avail of the Government’s Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant, which was announced as part of Budget 2024 and is available to qualifying small and medium enterprises.

Both the Department and Re-turn are monitoring the scheme closely and I receive regular updates on its performance. The scheme will be subject to review once sufficient time has passed to make an make an appropriate assessment.