Public Consultation on the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028

The Programme for Government commits to ending the wasteful cycle of take-make-consume throw-away, promotes sustainable practices that extend the life of products and reduce waste and to supporting enterprises in the circular economy including repair and refurbishment centres. It recognises that the circular economy has transformative impact potential for Ireland, and we are well positioned to achieve and capitalise on the many opportunities of an economy-wide circular transition, future-proofing Ireland environmentally, economically and socially.

Since the publication of Ireland’s first Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy we have put in place the necessary policy and regulatory framework required for a successful circular transition. The first strategy set out the holistic government approach in a framework for the circular transition and included awareness-raising measures and promoted investment in the circular economy. The strategy emphasised balanced regional economic development and employment, as well as the importance of identifying and addressing key economic, legal, and social barriers to further the country’s circular economy transition.

Such efforts led to the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022, which enshrined the circular economy in Irish law and provided a legal basis for actions to support it. The Second Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy will have a statutory basis and, in line with the requirements of the Act, includes actions and targets for key sectors- agriculture, retail, packaging, textiles, and electronic equipment as well as identifying the cross-cutting measures with the most potential to make significant contributions to the circular transition.

The Circularity Gap Report Ireland - published last year underscores that transitioning to a more circular economy has huge potential for Ireland but that our continued growth both in terms of GDP and population has come at a material cost with the need to provide new housing and infrastructure, along with more food, services, and manufactured goods. In that context our material use continues to grow in a manner which is incompatible with our circular economy and climate goals.

Reversing this trend is a necessity: by embracing circular economy strategies across key sectors, we can ensure that the needs of our people are being met foster business continuity, environmental responsibility and long-term economic prosperity. Shifting away from the linear ‘take make waste’ paradigm can also facilitate resilience to the geo-political and supply chain shocks of the last number of years, fostering stability within Ireland, and strengthening our economy consequently.

It is in this context that the Department has now prepared a draft of Ireland’s Second Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy and is seeking input from interested parties through a public consultation. This consultation will help inform the final content of the Strategy, as well as longer-term policy development in relation to the circular economy.

Submissions may be made based on the questions set out in the Consultation Questionnaire and it is not necessary to answer all questions. Additional comments outside the questions posed are also welcome.

The Consultation Questionnaire is available for download here.

The closing date for submissions is 5.30pm on Wednesday, 5 November 2025

Submissions can be made by email to CircularEconomyConsultations@dcee.gov.ie or by post to:
Circular Economy Strategy Consultation
Circular Economy Strategic Policy Unit
Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.
Tom Johnson House,
Haddington Road.
D04 K7X4

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders in a clear, open and transparent manner. Any person or organisation can make a submission in relation to this consultation. We will consider all submissions and feedback before we publish the final version of the Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028.

Your response to this consultation is subject to:

• the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI)
• the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007-2018 (AIE)
• the Data Protection Act 2018

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