Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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45. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has carried out an assessment on the costs associated with the programme for Government commitment to invest in waste sorting technology in the material recovery facility network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68028/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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46. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has engaged with any industry stakeholders, including waste management companies, in relation to the Programme for Government commitment to invest in waste sorting technology in the material recovery facility network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68029/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.

The waste management market in Ireland, including both the waste collection and waste treatment industries, is almost exclusively operated by private companies who operate under waste collection and waste facility authorisations issued by the local authority sector and/or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As such any additional investment in waste sorting technology is primarily a matter for the waste industry which I understand is already developing a number of investment proposals, some in collaboration with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Any potential future investment involving public funds would be preceded by rigorous costing and business analysis.

The role of the Department, as set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (WAPCE), is to provide an overall policy and regulatory approach to support the development of adequate and appropriate treatment capacity at indigenous facilities to ensure that the full circularity and resource potential of materials is captured in Ireland.

The Regional Waste Management Planning Offices launched a new National Waste Management Plan (NWMP) in 2024 which sets out the required actions at local and regional levels to deliver on the WAPCE and support Ireland's circular economy transition including several specific actions to address domestic waste treatment infrastructure challenges.

In keeping with the polluter pays principle, Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes also have a key role in meeting national collection and recycling targets and 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 implementation of the new Circular Economy Strategy which will be published shortly. The updated WAPCE will also reflect the commitments given in the Programme for Government and 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 create a culture of circular behaviour.