To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of a single deposit return scheme operating across the island of Ireland.

This question was addressed in the Assembly in answer to AQO 1541/17-22 on 8 February 2021.

My officials have been developing options for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, alongside England and Wales to ensure consistency for major UK suppliers and retailers. This is consistent with the UK-wide approach we have taken for many years on packaging.

Waste collection in the Republic of Ireland is operated by private firms rather than local councils so any DRS may follow a similar model which may not be suitable for NI. The Republic’s scheme also has a different implementation timeline with a launch proposed for late 2022. The UK scheme is proposed to be introduced in NI, England and Wales in 2024.

My officials correspond regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and all-Ireland industry representatives to discuss the schemes and ensure that the operation of the two system don't have any unintended negative consequences.

Further detail on the proposed DRS can be found on the following link. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/consultations/introducing-deposit-return-scheme-england-wales-and-northern-ireland.