Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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121. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of Ireland's progress on meeting recycling goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60289/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To date Ireland has been successful in achieving the various municipal waste recycling targets set at a European level, but it is acknowledged that achieving the targets set for 2025 and beyond will be challenging.

The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (WAPCE), Ireland’s National Waste Policy for the period 2020 to 2025, sets out an overall policy and regulatory approach to support improved waste performance in Ireland.

The ongoing phased delivery of the WAPCE measures, in conjunction with required waste enforcement actions and education and awareness campaigns, will have a positive impact on our national municipal recycling rates.

In keeping with the polluter pays principle, Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes also have a key role in meeting national collection and recycling targets and also in supporting investment to ensure that as much material as possible can be recycled and recovered domestically.

The WAPCE will be updated in 2026 to ensure that it aligns with and drives the delivery and implementation of the new Circular Economy Strategy which will be published shortly. The updated WAPCE will inform and give direction to waste planning and management in Ireland, the delivery of appropriate infrastructure, and how we can enhance our capacity to transform waste into secondary materials and seek to create a culture of circular behaviour while also helping us meet our EU targets.