Recycling Policy
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Alan Dillon (FG), Mayo

Again, I acknowledge Senator Noonan's questions and I understand the urgency in regard to investment in critical infrastructure. However, any proposal for direct public investment in sorting technology would need to be evidence based.
It would also need to be costed and justified, given the sector involves a large number of commercially operated firms. We would have to understand that where there is clear market failure, the absence of the EPR-funded investment alone is insufficient. That is why we want many of the EPR operators to work with the sectors on how we can continue to deliver measurable improvements in recycling outcomes. That is where we want to get to in achieving the targets, which have been challenging in recent years, to say the least.
However, with the new PPWR, there is an opportunity to reduce unnecessary packaging, increase demand for recycling content and create a stronger and more stable market for recyclate. That is what we all want to achieve. We want to give certainty to investors, allow for multi-year funding commitments and support large-scale investment in waste infrastructure, including advanced sorting and recovery facilities. We will see the new EU regulation, national policy and EPR funding all being aligned and put in the same direction. That will increase recycling rates and reduce incineration, while also keeping valuable materials in circulation within the economy.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28