Minister Alan Dillon announces €29 million to support local jobs, reduce waste, and help communities reuse and repair
- Published on: 30 April 2026
- Last updated on: 30 April 2026
- Circular Economy Fund will support projects in every county, helping households save money and reduce waste
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Alan Dillon has today announced over €29 million in funding to support projects across Ireland that will help communities reduce waste, reuse more, and build a more sustainable local economy.
The funding, provided through the Circular Economy Fund, will support initiatives in every region of the country — from community repair hubs and reuse centres to innovative business projects that cut waste and make better use of materials. This means more opportunities for people to repair items instead of throwing them away, more affordable second-hand goods, and more local jobs in areas such as repair, refurbishment, and sustainable manufacturing.
Announcing the funding, Minister Dillon said:
"This €29 million investment is about making the circular economy real for people in their everyday lives — whether that’s being able to repair a bike, buy a refurbished appliance, or see less waste in their community. We are supporting practical projects in every part of the country that will help households save money, reduce waste, and create jobs locally.”
The Circular Economy Fund will directly support:
- Community reuse and repair initiatives – helping people fix and reuse items like bikes, furniture, and electrical goods
- Local clean-up and anti-dumping projects – improving neighbourhoods and tackling illegal dumping
- Food waste reduction programmes – helping households and businesses waste less food
- Business innovation – supporting Irish companies to design products that last longer and use fewer raw materials
Projects will be delivered by local authorities, community groups, and enterprises across the country, ensuring that both urban and rural communities’ benefit.
A circular economy focuses on keeping materials in use for as long as possible – through reuse, repair, and recycling — rather than throwing them away. The Circular Economy Fund is financed through environmental levies on waste and single-use items, meaning money raised from waste is reinvested into solutions that reduce it.
Minister Dillon added:
" People want practical solutions that make a difference in their daily lives. This fund is about supporting those solutions — whether that’s a local repair service, a reuse centre, or a business finding smarter ways to use materials. By working with communities and businesses, we can reduce waste, support local jobs, and build a more sustainable future for every region "
The 2026 funding programme is aligned with Ireland’s new Circular Economy Strategy which sets out a national plan to reduce waste, improve resource use, and support sustainable economic growth.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Circular Economy
The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2022, provides for the establishment of a Circular Economy Fund which replaced the Environment Fund, to be managed and controlled by the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment.
Circular Economy Fund Accounts are prepared on an annual basis. These accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before the Oireachtas.
Key initiatives that will be supported by the Fund in 2026 include:
- Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS): Launched in 2021, this scheme currently supports projects tackling issues such as plastic waste, construction and demolition waste, food waste prevention, and raw material efficiency.
- EPA Circular Economy Programme (2021-2027): Focused on licensing, data monitoring, and implementation, this programme builds the evidence base for circular economy policy and practice.
- Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI): Since 2017, the ADI has funded local clean-up and prevention projects. In 2024 alone, 224 projects were delivered, including bulky waste collections and hazardous waste amnesties.
- Irish Environmental Network (IEN): A coalition of environmental NGOs that promotes sustainability through education, citizen science, and policy development.
- Food Circle Project: Supports Ireland's National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap with a focus on food donation, waste measurement, and innovation.
- Community Resources Network Ireland (CRNI): The only community reuse and recycling network in Ireland, it has, along with its members, the potential to play a unique and valuable role in the development of resource efficiency and circular economy initiatives at both local and national levels.
- Waste Enforcement: To prevent and tackle illegal dumping activities across the country.
- Litter Initiatives: Through educational programmes like Picker Pals, the National Spring Clean Programme and local authority anti-litter campaigns and clean ups.
- CIRCULEIRÉ: Provides supports to business with respect to circular design, remanufacturing and assisting industry in transitioning to a more circular economy.
- Circular.ie: Ireland’s national platform for circular economy information and awareness.
- Public Drinking Water Fountain Scheme: To reduce plastic bottle use and provide widespread public access to drinking water.
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection: A collection system to enable the public to dispose of household hazardous waste.