The founders of the Killarney Coffee Cup Project and the environmental group VOICE have issued a warning that government inaction is undermining local efforts to reduce waste.

Despite Killarney leading the way as Ireland’s first coffee cup-free town, the group says the project is now on "precarious footing" because a promised national levy on disposable cups has failed to materialise.
The "latte levy" was included in the Circular Economy Act 2022, but a start date has yet to be confirmed. Advocates argue that without this charge at the point of sale, there is no financial incentive for customers to switch to reusables, leaving local independent businesses to carry the burden alone.
The call for action follows the latest IBAL (Irish Business Against Litter) report, which found that disposable coffee cups remain a major litter problem, appearing in one-fifth of all surveyed sites across Ireland.
In contrast, the report noted that plastic bottles and cans have become 60% less common since the Deposit Return Scheme was introduced last year, proving that state-led financial measures are effective.
“We need Government to act, so that we can level the playing field. Without a levy, at the point of sale, customers are not incentivised to choose reusable alternatives, businesses aren't motivated to offer reusable alternatives, and large coffee chains continue with their business models that depend on disposables.” said the founders of the Killarney Coffee Cup Project. "The loss of political will is deeply worrying."
Ireland currently uses over 200 million single-use cups every year.
VOICE and local organisers point to the success of the plastic bag levy as a model, noting that it changed public behaviour almost overnight.
They argue that funds from a cup levy could be ringfenced to pay for national infrastructure, such as specialized street bins and cleaning hubs for reusable cups.
Tad Kirakowski, CEO of VOICE, urged the government to honour its commitment, stating that continued delays send the wrong signal and lock the country into unnecessary waste.