Brendan Smith
Question:102. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will raise directly with the President of Egypt the urgent and serious concerns of an Irish family (details supplied). [53994/26]
View answerConsular Services
Questions (102)
Written answers
I understand the Deputy is referring to a specific case in which the Government, including through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Embassy of Ireland in Egypt, has provided extensive and sustained consular assistance over a period of several years.
This is a serious and sensitive case and has rightly been raised consistently at the highest political and diplomatic levels with the Egyptian authorities, including by successive Taoisigh, Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Cinn Comhairligh and Ambassadors of Ireland to Egypt. I have raised the case and its difficult circumstances with the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt a number of times, most recently in April. It is in the interests of all concerned that it be brought to a positive conclusion at an early date.
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continue to be in frequent contact with the citizen and to provide consular assistance. Given the understandable concerns of the person involved, the Department has worked with other state entities to offer supports to the citizen to travel to Egypt for the enforcement of the rulings of the Egyptian courts on custody and the return of the children to the citizen.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Government cannot interfere in legal or judicial processes in another jurisdiction and we would encourage the citizen to work closely with her local legal representative.
British-Irish Co-operation
Questions (103)
Brendan Smith
Question:103. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach the issues discussed at the 45th summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in Guernsey on 10 July 2026. [54256/26]
View answerWritten answers
I attended the 45th British-Irish Council summit, hosted by the Government of Guernsey in Saint Peter Port on 9/10 July 2026.
I was joined by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee.
The theme of the summit was “Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing”.
Council members updated on their respective work in this area across the eight member administrations including, in Ireland’s case, setting out the Government’s commitment to high-quality inclusive early learning and care, accessible healthcare, parental supports and strong community networks.
Member administrations acknowledged the importance of cooperation and shared learning in relation to digital technologies in particular, which are having an increasingly large impact on children’s lives, and discussed growing awareness of the risks of digital access, as well as the opportunities of digital literacy.
Minister McEntee and I also updated the Council on recent political developments and on domestic and international topics of mutual interest, including in regard to the Middle East and Ukraine, and the launch of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Council and priorities for our six month term in office.
Foreign Policy
Questions (104)
Ken O'Flynn
Question:104. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department has assessed the extraterritorial provisions of China's law on the promotion of ethnic unity and progress, adopted on 12 March 2026; if her Department shares the concerns raised in the European Parliament resolution of 30 April 2026 regarding the law's potential to enable transnational repression; if any assessment has been carried out on the risk this law poses to individuals residing in Ireland, in light of the 2022 closure of an unauthorised Chinese overseas police station on Capel Street, Dublin; if the Department will review extradition arrangements with China in response to this legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53846/26]
View answerWritten answers
The protection and promotion of human rights is a core pillar of Ireland's foreign policy, and we regularly raise concerns with the Chinese authorities in bilateral meetings and in the appropriate multilateral fora, including with regard to the treatment of ethnic minorities.
My Department has been following developments relating to China’s new Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress since the draft was introduced in the National People’s Congress in September 2025 and throughout the legislative process to its enactment on 1 July. At the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in June 2026, Ireland supported an EU statement, which underlined concerns about this new law and the potentially extraterritorial effects. The statement also urged China to respect, protect and fulfil human rights for all, including Uyghurs, Tibetans and other persons belonging to national or ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities across China.
Ireland regularly supports efforts by the EU to highlight the particularly vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities, including through the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which last took place in June 2025.
For individuals residing in Ireland, any unlawful coercion, threat or harassment that occurs within the State should be reported to An Garda Síochána.
Ireland has no bilateral extradition treaty with China. A bilateral extradition treaty with Hong Kong was suspended in October 2020.
Diplomatic Representation
Questions (105)
Ken O'Flynn
Question:105. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reasons for the closure in 2012 of Ireland's Institute for Trade and Investment in Taipei; if the Department has assessed the case for reopening a trade and cultural office in Taipei, given the recovery in the Irish economy, continued growth in Taiwan's economy, and an estimated 600 or more Irish citizens now resident in Taiwan; the Department's understanding of the current scale of Irish-Taiwanese trade; if consideration has been given to the fact that some 15 other EU member states, including Germany through the German Institute Taipei, maintain dedicated trade or representative offices in Taipei, in addition to the European Union's own European Economic and Trade Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53850/26]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland, along with our EU partners, adheres to the One China Policy. This means that we recognise the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and we do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. This has been the case since Ireland first established diplomatic relations with China in 1979. As such, my Department has never maintained a mission, institute or office in Taipei.
Ireland’s adherence to the One China Policy does not preclude the development of economic, trade, cultural, and people-to-people connections with Taiwan. Both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the agency responsible for enterprise development, operate under the aegis of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and decisions on the closure or opening of such offices do not fall within the remit of my Department.
However, my Department does engage regularly with these State Agencies to advance Ireland’s economic objectives abroad. Based on this engagement, it is my understanding that there are no current plans for Ireland to open an office in Taipei. IDA Ireland now manages the Taiwanese market from its Singapore office, and Enterprise Ireland manages the Taiwanese market from its office in Hong Kong. The opening of any new office is a resource intensive process, and, as such, decisions are evaluated based on several factors, including cost-benefit considerations and whether existing offices already adequately cover the work involved.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) data indicates that there is a significant amount of trading activity between Ireland and Taiwan. In 2024 – the latest year for which full statistics on goods and services are available – showed that the total value of trade between Ireland and Taiwan was €5.373 billion. In terms of goods, Ireland’s exports were valued at €373 million and imports were valued at €2.053 billion. In terms of services, Ireland’s exports were valued at €2.075 billion and imports were valued at €872 million. Overall, Ireland had a trade deficit of €477 million with Taiwan in 2024.
It is not possible to provide a figure for the total value of trade between Ireland and Taiwan for the most recent year as the data trade in services for 2025 is not yet available. However, the latest available data for 2025 in terms of goods shows that exports were valued at €458 million and imports were valued at €4.305 billion. In terms of understanding the scale of the trade in goods, I note that the largest commodity group for exports in 2025 was medicinal and pharmaceutical products (€183 million) and the largest commodity group for imports in 2025 was ‘office machines and automatic data processing equipment’ (€2.871 billion). CSO data indicates that imports in this particular commodity group have grown substantially in recent years (€472 million in 2023, €1.113 billion in in 2024 and €2.871 billion in 2025).
I am aware that some EU Member States have trade offices in Taipei. I note that the European Union established the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei in 2003 to represent and strengthen the trading and economic links with Taiwan on behalf of all EU Member States, including Ireland. I note also that European Commission convenes a regular Trade and Investment Dialogue (TID) to discuss bilateral trade and investment matters with Taiwan on behalf of the EU. There are also number of Taipei representative offices throughout Europe, including one in Dublin since 1988.
National Security
Questions (106)
Catherine Callaghan
Question:106. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current functions performed by the National Security Authority pending its proposed transfer to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; the resources currently allocated to the Authority; and the work being undertaken to facilitate that transfer [53865/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade chairs the National Security Authority (NSA), an interdepartmental group and the relevant authority for the protection of EU classified information (EUCI) as set out in Decision 2013/488/EU.
In this capacity, as well as chairing the interdepartmental group my Department issues personnel security clearance certificates on behalf of the National Security Authority to officials seeking to access EUCI provided that applicants have satisfied necessary criteria and vetting by An Garda Síochána.
The NSA is managed by a team within the Corporate Services Division of my department.
In line with the Programme for Government 2025 commitment to bring the NSA under the remit of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, a process is under way in that department to give effect to this. My Department supports this important work and is participating in the process to take it forward.
EU Meetings
Questions (107)
Brendan Smith
Question:107. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the range of topics covered and the outcome of her discussions in Cork with the Members of the European Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53873/26]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland’s EU Presidency term began on July 1. It is the culmination of a long process of planning and preparation that has been a major focus across Government.
The traditional Presidency visit by the College of Commissioners took place in Cork on 2-3 July 2026 and represented the first collective engagement between the Government of Ireland and the European Commission during the Ireland’s Presidency term. The visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen political relationships, establish a shared understanding of Ireland’s Presidency priorities and discuss how we will work with the Commission though our term to ensure we can deliver effectively on our policy objectives to the benefit of citizens in Ireland and across Europe.
During the programme, structured cluster discussions involving Ministers and Commissioners focused on industrial competitiveness and the single market; agriculture, climate, energy and economic transition; security, external relations, defence, preparedness, trade and economic security; and values, skills, social cohesion and housing.
As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I co-chaired a comprehensive discussion on security, external relations, defence, preparedness, trade and economic security alongside HR/VP Kaja Kallas, with other Ministers and Commissioners with relevant portfolios also participating.
The programme concluded with a plenary session, jointly chaired by the Taoiseach and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. This provided an opportunity for reflection on key themes which emerged during earlier discussions for the benefit of the wider College and Government. The plenary also provided an opportunity for Ministers and Commissioners to exchange views on the opportunities and challenges that will arise during the Irish Presidency term.
During the plenary session, I updated participants on our discussions around ongoing support for Ukraine, the Middle East, strengthening Europe’s preparedness and resilience, diversifying partnerships, humanitarian diplomacy, the EU-UK relationship, protecting critical infrastructure, maritime security, and the importance of maintaining close cooperation with our international partners.
Overall, there was a high degree of alignment between the Government and the European Commission on the priorities and objectives for the work of the EU during the Irish Presidency term, together with a shared commitment to maintaining momentum across the Union’s legislative and policy agenda.
Passport Services
Questions (108)
John Brady
Question:108. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on a passport application for a person (details supplied) as all requested supporting documentation has been submitted and the applicants travel date is imminent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53947/26]
View answerWritten answers
With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued the passport to the applicant.
EU Meetings
Questions (109)
Brendan Smith
Question:109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there has been any recent discussion in EU Councils on Foreign Affairs or in other fora regarding the persecution of Christians around the world; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53985/26]
View answerWritten answers
The protection and promotion of human rights, including the freedom of religion or belief, is a core tenet of Ireland's foreign policy. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, (more commonly referred to as freedom of religion or belief) is a fundamental freedom, enshrined in Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, including instances when Christians face persecution for exercising the right to practice their faith.
Ireland consistently raises issues related to freedom of religion or belief at the United Nations, including at the UN Human Rights Council and during the Universal Periodic Review process, which acts as a peer review of the human rights situation in all UN Member States. Most recently, at the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in March 2026, Ireland restated our concern for the persecution of people, including of Christians, on the basis of their religion.
Within the EU, Ireland works with partners to address the persecution of religious communities. The current EU Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, which is now extended to 2027, includes an express reference to stepping up action to combat discrimination on any ground, including religion or belief. During our EU Presidency, Ireland will work to further strengthen the EU’s efforts in this area.
In January of this year the Council of the European Union approved the EU’s priorities in United Nations Human Rights Fora which, included a call upon States to uphold freedom of religion or belief, as enshrined in article 10 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. I support this call and am ready to continue to show Ireland’s unwavering support for these fundamental rights, both nationally and at multilateral fora.
I welcome the appointment by the European Commission of Mairead McGuinness as the EU Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) outside the EU. As Special Envoy, she is working closely with the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), EU Member States, local governments and organisations, religious groups, and civil society.
Furthermore, Ireland is a member of the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (ICG), which was established in 2015. The purpose of the group is to encourage and deepen coordination between countries committed to advancing religious freedom. Since joining the ICG, Ireland has participated in bi-annual meetings to discuss ways in which the ICG can combine efforts in the promotion of freedom of religion or belief for all.
Ireland is committed to advancing the freedom of religion or belief in our multilateral and bilateral engagements.
Departmental Correspondence
Questions (110)
Ken O'Flynn
Question:110. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has a record of correspondence with French authorities regarding the 1948 repatriation of the remains of William Butler Yeats from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin to Ireland; whether her Department is aware of diplomatic correspondence released in 2015 raising doubts as to whether the remains repatriated were those of the poet; whether her Department has had contact with French authorities regarding the preservation or release of surviving records relating to this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54023/26]
View answerWritten answers
Contemporaneous correspondence relating to the death and reinternment of William Butler Yeats in the Department's files has been released, in line with the 1986 Archives Act, and is publicly available through the National Archives. Release of official French documents on this subject are a matter for the French state as per their own national legislation. However, we understand that French records concerning William Butler Yeats from 1948 were given to the National Archives in 2015.
While this specific issue has not been discussed with the French authorities, during the Taoiseach's recent visit to Paris he announced the launch of a new archival project between our two countries, “Journey to Europe: Archives of the Irish in France”. This project will identify material of significant Irish interest housed in French archives and, in collaboration with those archives, digitise this within the framework of the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. The records will be available through a dedicated digital portal for researchers and members of the public.
British-Irish Co-operation
Questions (111)
Brendan Smith
Question:111. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues discussed at the 45th summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in Guernsey on 10 July 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54257/26]
View answerWritten answers
Along with the Taoiseach, I attended the 45th British-Irish Council summit hosted by the Government of Guernsey on 9/10 July 2026.
There were two substantive items on the agenda of the summit meeting; a thematic discussion on ‘Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing’ and Latest Political Developments.
On the Thematic Discussion, leaders demonstrated the value of their individual approaches and early-years schemes, interventions and parental supports. The value of early intervention was noted across the board.
Each administration spoke to the value, both societally and economically, of allowing for more workforce participation through the availability of early-years childcare support. Whilst administrations showcased their best practices, there was also an openness and honesty in interventions, with no reluctance from principals to note their own need to do more in certain respects. There was a collective recognition of the need for domestic regulation and evidence based policy regarding additional needs supports, as the demand for these services increases. Discussion also covered the importance of cooperation and shared learning in relation to digital technologies.
There was consensus that retention of qualified staff and the need to improve working conditions is a common challenge across these Islands.
Lastly, there was support expressed for work going on in the BIC early years work sector.
The discussion of Latest Political Developments, focused on domestic and global matters and the implications for the jurisdictions in attendance. Specific topics raised included the Irish Presidency of the EU; the EU-UK relationship; gender based violence; and the rising cost of living.
Energy Prices
Questions (112, 113)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:112. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being taken to ensure that increased electricity demand from electric vehicle charging does not contribute to further electricity price inflation for households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53777/26]
View answerPádraig O'Sullivan
Question:113. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being considered to protect households from increasing electricity network charges arising from higher peak-time demand associated with electric vehicle charging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53778/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.
Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to me, as Minister. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is responsible for setting annual network tariffs for use of the electricity system in Ireland. It is important to note that once the network tariffs are set, electricity suppliers determine how, and if, to pass on the costs to its customers.
The CRU is currently undertaking a multi-annual review of electricity network tariffs. The review will seek to put in place a framework for how network tariffs should be structured to ensure they are fit-for-purpose and cost-reflective, now and into the future. It will take account of changes to how we generate and consume electricity due to factors like technological change and decarbonisation. Electric vehicles are one source of new and uncertain demand which will be considered as part of this process.
Meanwhile, through the CRU and ESB Networks, we are expanding "Beat the Peak" initiatives and smart meter incentives, encouraging consumers and large energy users to shift their demand to times of high renewable surplus and reduce peak demand on the system. The National Energy Demand Strategy aims to make 20% to 30% of electricity demand flexible by 2030. A key aspect of this strategy is preparing households and businesses to maximise their use of renewables.
Government is deeply aware of the pressures placed on households and businesses by high energy costs. We are taking action to help households and businesses with these costs. That is why, on 12 April, the Government agreed a €500 million package of fuel supports. This was in addition to the initial €250 million in targeted supports announced in March, which was already among the largest (per capita) intervention of any EU Member State. These packages were announced following significant engagement with industry representatives.
Furthermore, the National Energy Affordability Taskforce is working intensively on an Energy Affordability Action Plan to be submitted to Government this year. This Action Plan will be focused on short, medium and longer-term measures to support households and businesses to meet their energy costs.
Question No. 113 answered with Question No. 112.
Electricity Grid
Questions (114)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:114. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which his Department reconciles the State's electric vehicle roll-out targets with EirGrid's warnings regarding winter electricity capacity margins; the additional generation, storage, demand-response or grid measures being planned to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53780/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), as provided for by the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (as amended), is responsible for ensuring Ireland’s electricity security of supply. The CRU are required to ensure that consistent risk preparedness plans are in place to prevent, prepare for and manage emergencies that may result in a loss of electricity supply to customers. As the responsibility for this lies with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), matters such as that referred to in the Question should be directed to the CRU in the first instance at oireachtas@cru.ie.
Notwithstanding this, I am advised that EirGrid’s Winter Outlook is an annual report that focuses on the 5-month period of peak electricity demand between November and April and examines the risks over the key peak demand weeks. The Winter Outlook for the 2026/2027 winter has not yet been released, however the 2025/2026 showed an improved picture from the year before, thanks in part to the Security of Supply (SoS) Programme, which has now closed, and the Electricity Adequacy Reporting Group (EARG) which was established to ensure continued monitoring of the ongoing aspects of the SoS programme. The overarching objective of the EARG is to ensure that risks to electricity adequacy are communicated through quarterly reporting to the Electricity Adequacy Oversight Group, who will review and action as necessary.
EirGrid also publishes an annual All-Island Resource Adequacy Assessment (AIRAA) which provides a forecast for supply and demand on the all-island electricity grid over the next ten years. The demand assumptions around Electric Vehicles are set out in section 4.2.4 of the report, which set out assumptions around the delivery of EVs under a 'low', 'median' and 'high' demand scenario. Overall, the AIRAA 2026-2035 shows that from 2029, the forecast is significantly better than last year’s assessment, with new generation capacity delivering and the Celtic Interconnector (linking Ireland’s and France’s electricity girds) becoming operational. Any potential deficits in capacity (more demand than supply) are addressed by out-of-market mitigations which are already available. These mitigations include the Temporary Emergency Generation TEG) units, which provide emergency back-up power when margins are tight, and the availability of the Moneypoint retained unit power station, which previously converted from coal to oil and is now available as a large back-up power station. These mitigations are not factored into the AIRAA report because they are temporary, but these mitigations will continue to be available during potentially challenging years.
Departmental Policies
Questions (115)
Réada Cronin
Question:115. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which his Department is ensuring financial transparency and oversight of the Re-Turn deposit scheme funding, given that unredeemed deposits are a core component of the funding model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53855/26]
View answerWritten answers
The governance and oversight framework for all matters, including financial, for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is set out in the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 33 of 2024) (the 2024 Regulations), the Ministerial Approval issued to Re-turn under those regulations, and the Code of Corporate Governance for Compliance Schemes.
Regulation 4 of the 2024 Regulations provides how the costs of operating a scheme shall be recouped by the scheme operator and this includes revenue from unredeemed deposits.
Regulation 5 of the 2024 Regulations provides for the conditions attaching to an Approval issued to an Approved Body for the purposes of DRS and this includes providing the Minister with all reasonable information to verify compliance with the Regulations.
Further detailed obligations on Re-turn, the scheme operator, are set out in the Approval issued under the 2024 Regulations. Those obligations include the requirement to report to the Minister annually on operational and financial matters.
In July 2025, Re-turn published its 2024 Annual Report & Financial Statements. A link to the report can be found here: re-turn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024-Annual-Report.pdf
It is expected that its 2025 Annual Report & Financial Statements will be published in the coming weeks.
Re-turn is responsible for all operational and funding matters relating to DRS and while I have no function in day-to-day business operations, officials from the department monitor performance of the scheme closely and meet with Re-turn monthly to review progress. Quarterly meetings are held to discuss strategic priorities and governance matters and these include updates on unredeemed deposits and other financial matters.
Grant Payments
Questions (116)
Réada Cronin
Question:116. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has considered the awarding of grants to support small retailers or local clubs to support adaptation of the Re-Turn scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53856/26]
View answerWritten answers
Re-turn is a producer-led and owned, not-for-profit company established by beverage producers to meet their obligations under the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations.
Re-turn is responsible for all operational and funding matters relating to the Deposit Return Scheme, including grants for Reverse Vending Machines (RVM), and previously ran a grant scheme that was open until 31 December 2025.
This was established as a targeted measure to assist eligible retailers with the upfront cost of purchasing an RVM, offering grant support of up to €12,000 paid over three years. It was designed to accelerate the early national rollout of return infrastructure under the Deposit Return Scheme. Uptake on the grants was significant, with approximately 700 retailers successfully availing of it.
The grant scheme was not intended to operate on an open-ended basis, but rather to support rapid infrastructure rollout during the early phase of the Deposit Return Scheme. The possibility of re-opening a grant scheme is a matter for Re-turn who have advised it will be kept under review as the scheme progresses towards its 2029 collection targets.
Departmental Policies
Questions (117)
Réada Cronin
Question:117. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment what specific regulatory changes are being sought by Re-Turn for the proposed rPET reprocessing facility; the Department's position on the establishment of such a processing facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53857/26]
View answerWritten answers
Re-turn is a producer-led and owned, not-for-profit company established by beverage producers to meet their obligations under the Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations.
Re-turn has stated its ambition to develop an rPET reprocessing facility in Ireland. In this regard, Re-turn has briefed me and Departmental officials on its plans.
The matter remains under consideration, with the Department considering the various public policy considerations that arise.