Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
189. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the specific measures his Department is taking to address the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, including textile waste and micro-plastic pollution; how these measures align with Ireland's climate and circular economy obligations under European Union law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling textile waste is a key step that we can take towards sustainability, to help combat climate change, and to support our transition to a circular economy.
Next month, I intend to publish Ireland's first National Policy Statement and Roadmap on Circular Textiles which will set out for the first time a policy direction for Ireland on textiles. The three-year Roadmap will contain wide-ranging actions to tackle the environmental degradation caused by textile waste.
In addition, the proposed Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy, due for publication shortly, has a dedicated textile chapter. It contains specific actions and targets to assist in the prevention and management of textile waste.
The revised Waste Framework Directive with respect to textiles entered into force in October last year. This Directive provides for a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme (EPR) for textiles. Plans to create an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for textiles will support efficient textile collection, sorting, reuse and recycling while driving the use of sustainable fibres and sustainable business models.
The entry into force of this revised Directive marks a significant milestone that will accelerate efforts to achieve these objectives. Under this new law, Ireland will be required to have an EPR scheme for textiles in place by April 2028.
The Department has already begun work on drafting the necessary regulations to transpose this Directive which has a transposition deadline of June next year. In addition, the Department is working on an EPR Delivery Plan for stakeholder consultation this year.
I believe that the revised Waste Framework Directive, backed up with our policy approach, will be a gamechanger in helping to prevent textile waste and reduce the environmental footprint of the textile sector.
