A sitting Fine Gael councillor has been hired by Re-turn to lobby the Fine Gael Minister responsible for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), prompting accusations of a “shocking” conflict of interests.
Eoin O’Driscoll, who is an elected member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, was appointed as the company’s public and regulatory affairs manager in March. He previously worked for Teneo, the advisory firm that manages public relations for Re-turn.
He has lobbied Alan Dillon, his party colleague and Minister of State with responsibility for the DRS, on several occasions since his appointment, seeking legislative changes on behalf of Re-turn.
Lobbying records show the company previously sought to remove VAT on unredeemed deposits, which would exempt the company from having to pay 23 per cent of the money unclaimed by consumers to Revenue.
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At least €66.7 million in unredeemed deposits was reported by Re-turn during the first year of the DRS, and a further €55 million had been accumulated during the first nine months of 2025.
A spokesman for Re-turn said its engagement on the issue of VAT had predated O’Driscoll’s employment, and he was not personally involved in lobbying on this particular matter.
However, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín described the situation as “a shocking” conflict of interests.
“I think it’s disgraceful,” he said. “Here we have a Fine Gael representative on both sides of the lobbying equation – that is the very definition of a conflict of interests."
O’Driscoll denied there was any conflict of interest in relation to his role as a councillor, his employment with Re-turn, or his lobbying of a party colleague on the company’s behalf.
“I take my responsibilities to our local community and the trust placed in public office very seriously,” he said. “I am in full compliance with all guidelines and rules related to my role as a county councillor.”
Official records show O’Driscoll was involved in lobbying for Re-turn in the first quarter of this year, during which time the company outlined proposals for legislative changes to make the DRS “more effective and efficient”.
There were several meetings with Dillon and his special adviser to discuss the scheme and these proposals for legislative changes.
A spokesman for Re-turn confirmed that the company had engaged with the Government in relation to the application of VAT on revenue from unredeemed deposits.
“There is 23 per cent VAT payable on all unclaimed deposits. This means that reported figures relating to unclaimed deposits should be understood as gross figures and do not account for the VAT payable,” he said.
The spokesman said Re-turn operates in full compliance with all applicable governance, ethics and government engagement requirements. “All relevant activity is recorded and published in accordance with the Regulation of Lobbying Act.”
He added Re-turn’s engagement with Government on the VAT issue was prior to the introduction of the DRS and there had been no engagement with the Government since on the issue.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, did not comment.
- This article was amended on 29/05/26 to remove comments by Peadar Tóibín about the nature of O’Driscoll’s lobbying role after Re-turn clarified that O’Driscoll was not personally involved in lobbying on the VAT issue
