Minister O'Brien and Minister Dillon launch Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy

Plan will transform how we use materials and resources, cut waste, boost productivity, and create sustainable jobs in every part of our country

Pilot National Pilot Repair Voucher Scheme will reduce repair costs, increase perceived value of used devices and drive society-wide support for repair

Digital Product Passport (DPP) will help consumers to make informed decisions; initial, priority DPP products will include textiles, furniture and tyres

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State with responsibility for the Circular Economy Alan Dillon today launched Ireland's Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028. The strategy sets out an ambitious national plan to accelerate Ireland's transition from a linear 'take-make-waste' model to a circular, sustainable economy.

The strategy will enhance our ability to keep materials and products in use for longer, reduce waste and enable circular innovation across every sector of society, building resilience in supply chains, lowering emissions, and strengthening Ireland's competitiveness as part of its broader climate and green enterprise agenda.

Minister O'Brien said:

"Nearly half of global greenhouse gas emissions come from how we make and use goods, food and materials. By embedding circularity across our economy, we can cut those emissions at the source - long before they reach our atmosphere. This is not simply an environmental project; it is a cornerstone of our climate action agenda. Every tonne of material that's reused, every product that's repaired rather than replaced, represents carbon that never needs to be emitted. That is the power of the circular economy. This strategy sets out how we will harness that power - through innovation, investment, and collaboration."

Minister Dillon said:

"The circular economy is central to how Ireland will grow cleaner, smarter, and more self-reliant. Through innovation, design and enterprise we can transform how we use materials and resources, cut waste, boost productivity, and create sustainable jobs in every part of our country. Implementation of this strategy will show that circularity is not an abstract idea but a practical, economic, and achievable way forward - one that helps families and businesses get better value, while strengthening Ireland's competitiveness and resilience. My ambition is to make circular thinking the new normal and secure a more prosperous, resilient, and sustainable Ireland.

"This second Circular Economy Strategy is about practical action - changing how Ireland designs, builds, consumes, and reuses. It places innovation, enterprise, and people at the heart of climate action - cutting waste, creating jobs, and reducing costs for households and businesses."

The strategy aims to:

• Increase Ireland's Circular Material Use Rate (CMUR) by 2 percentage points annually, reaching 12% by 2030
• Support economic expansion, while improving resource productivity and reducing dependency on virgin raw materials
• Strengthen Ireland's position as a centre for sustainable design, advanced manufacturing, and innovative circular business models
• Empower people and communities to make sustainable, cost-effective choices through initiatives such as the introduction of a pilot National Repair Voucher Scheme
• Support local authorities in developing reuse, repair, and recycling hubs nationwide
• Place digitalisation and data-driven innovation at the core of the circular transition

The Circular Economy Strategy builds on the strong policy foundations established over the past 5 years, including the Circular Economy Act 2022, the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, the Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan, the Climate Action Plan, and the National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy.

National Pilot Repair Voucher Scheme

Behavioural studies have found that the price of repair (and especially the price gap between repair and replacement) can be the most important factor influencing a decision to repair. A National Pilot Repair Voucher Scheme will be introduced, supported by the Circular Economy Fund, that will focus on the reuse and repair of consumer products. The pilot scheme will be designed through the National Reuse and Repair Network and will be rolled out by 2027. This will facilitate a shift in consumer roles - from purchasers to stewards of products and devices by reducing repair costs, increasing the perceived value of used devices and driving society-wide support for repair.

Digital Product Passport (DPP)

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is an innovation (under the 2024 EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) that will store and share data about a product's sustainability, circularity and regulatory compliance. The DPP will be available to consumers, businesses and relevant authorities. It will help consumers to make informed decisions about what they buy, and it will drive demand for sustainable products. The DPP could also host additional information, like product instructions or conformity documents. Priority products that will have a DPP over the coming years include textiles, furniture, tyres and mattresses.

Sectoral Action and Targets

The strategy sets actions and targets for 6 key priority sectors - to deliver environmental and economic benefits:

• Construction - Publication of a Circularity Roadmap for the Construction Sector in 2026 and agreement on a sectoral compact partnership between the government and construction industry to accelerate circular practices
• Bioeconomy (including agriculture) - Publication of a new National Bioeconomy Strategy and Food Waste Prevention Roadmap by 2026 to support sustainable biomass use and cut food waste by 50% by 2030
• Retail - Greater support for repair, re-use and waste prevention, including Bring-Your-Own container options in food service from 2027
• Packaging - Implementation of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, aiming for a 5% packaging waste reduction by 2030 and 90% plastic bottle collection by 2029
• Textiles - Launch of a National Policy Statement and Roadmap on Circular Textiles in 2026, with nationwide full and enhanced separate textile collection by 2030
• Electronics - Expansion of repair and remanufacturing, transposition of the Right to Repair Directive, and support for Ireland's repair and reuse network

Minister Dillon concluded:

"Ireland's second Circular Economy Strategy is about practical action - changing how we design, build, consume, and reuse. It will help us meet our climate goals, grow resilient businesses, and empower communities. Every person, business, and public body has a role to play in making circularity the new normal. This strategy prioritises 6 key sectors to lead the way in delivering environmental and economic benefits by delivering clear actions through measurable targets."

The strategy can be viewed on the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment's website.

ENDS

Circular Economy

The Circular Economy is a means of preventing waste through keeping resources in use for as long as possible - reusing, repairing, sharing and recycling more.

It recognises the need to shift from the current linear (take-make-waste) model of production and consumption to one in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then repair, recycle and remanufacture products and materials at their end of life.

Government policy supports a transition to a circular economy.

The Circular Economy in Ireland to date

Ireland's Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy 2020-2025 provided an updated national waste policy with a range of aims and targets to guide the transition from waste disposal to resource preservation through a circular economy framework.

This was followed by Ireland's first national strategy dedicated to the circular economy: the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2022-2023 'Living More, Using Less'. This strategy set out the holistic government approach in a framework for the circular transition and explained how public sector leadership can work towards closing the Circularity Gap. It included awareness-raising measures and promoted investment in the circular economy.

The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 enshrined the circular economy in Irish law and provided a legal basis for actions to support it. This second iteration of the Strategy has a statutory basis and, in line with the requirements under statute through The Act, includes targets for key sectors, delivering on the potential to make significant contributions to the circular transition. The Act prescribes that actions and targets should be set for the following sectors: construction, agriculture, retail, packaging, textiles and electronics.

In 2024, the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices published their National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy, which further enhances the regulatory framework by setting out the specific targets and actions which need to be taken by local authorities over the period 2024 to 2030 to achieve this transition.

The Environmental Protection Agency's Circular Economy Programme (2021 to 2027) is the driving force for Ireland's move to a circular economy. The vision for the Programme is where the circular economy ensures that everyone uses less resources and prevents waste to achieve sustainable economic growth. The Circular Economy Programme provides leadership to ensure alignment of national, regional and local circular economy activities.

Cross-Cutting Measures and Supports

The new strategy outlines a comprehensive programme to enable delivery across all sectors, including:

• Establishment of a Circular Economy Advisory Group and cross-government Oversight Group.
• Circular.ie - Ireland's new national circular economy awareness and knowledge platform
• Expansion of funding for the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme to €1.5 million annually
• Development of Circular Economy Demonstration and Outreach Hubs across Ireland
• Collaboration with Northern Ireland to create an All-Island Industrial Symbiosis Platform

Monitoring and Reporting

Progress will be tracked through a new National Circularity Dashboard, to be developed by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Central Statistics Office (CSO). An annual report to Government will measure Ireland's progress toward circularity targets.