Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration will be given to exempting agricultural tyres from the extended producer responsibility scheme, as suggested by those in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53352/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 were introduced to ensure environmentally sound management of tyres placed on the Irish market throughout their lifecycle. At that time, tyres within the agricultural, bus and truck, construction and industrial categories were granted a temporary derogation from the prescribed environmental management cost (EMC).

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy 2020-2025, however, committed to including these categories of tyre in the future to ensure best environmental management and the fair distribution of costs across the sector. In reality, many end-of-life tyres currently not included in the scheme are either not recycled at all and deteriorate in the environment, or they find their way into the scheme, meaning the cost of recycling is being borne by those paying the EMC for tyres in the passenger, 4x4, van and motorcycle categories.

The Department continues to consider the implications of continuing the extension of the scheme on stakeholders and is working to ensure that any such extension is underpinned by fairness and appropriate cost allocation.