Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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13. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the proposed sale of Bord na Móna recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17629/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Bord na Móna is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department and was established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department. The Board and management of Bord na Móna are accountable for both the strategic direction and management of the organisation. My Department is responsible for the corporate governance oversight of Bord na Móna, including the provision of consents relating to certain activities.

Bord na Móna’s Brown to Green strategy has seen the company conclude all former peat operations and succeed in the delivery of renewable energy infrastructure at scale. It is now a leading Renewable Energy provider committed to helping Ireland achieve its renewable energy target by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

In relation to Bord na Móna Recycling, the Department was made aware in 2024 that Bord na Móna was undertaking a strategic review of this business. Bord na Móna informed my Department on 7 February 2025 that after conducting this strategic review, it proposes to sell its shares in Bord na Móna Recycling Limited to Irish recycling provider KWD Recycling, a waste collection, recycling and recovery operator in the southwest of Ireland.

Any proposal to sell part of Bord na Móna’s business is subject to regulatory approval, including Ministerial consent and will be carefully considered by my Department on receipt of a formal request from Bord na Móna.

My Department understands that Bord na Móna has submitted documents to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) as part of the proposed sale process. I understand that the CCPC review is ongoing.

My Department further understands that interaction between Bord na Móna and SIPTU on this matter is ongoing and this continued dialogue is encouraged. I have recently corresponded with both SIPTU and ICTU in this regard.