Ms Laura Behan:

The Department is working with the NTA on the move to alternative fuels in the bus sector. In November we expect to begin a significant trial of alternative bus technologies on routes in Dublin and Cork. We hope to trial retrofitted buses, fully electric buses, hybrid electric buses and buses that use compressed natural gas along specific routes with similar driving patterns. We will measure the tailpipe emissions to gain a real understanding of the carbon and air quality emissions in the context of all of the various technologies used. We have been looking at all of the international literature which in parts has been conflicting. It is probably fair to say we need to have a much better understanding of how the various technologies will work in an Irish context. I refer to the way real bus routes are operated in Irish cities. The trial will begin in November and we hope to see outcomes and results from it by the end of the first quarter of next year. Initially, in the short run there will have to be a hybrid strategy for the urban buses. We hope the results of the trial and our research will feed into the NTA's longer term procurement strategy as technologies improve and decisions on the necessary investment in supporting infrastructure are made. If we transition the bus fleet in Dublin, Cork or any other city to natural gas or fully electric, significant infrastructure will be required to go along with it. We need to gain a fuller understanding of how it will work in a real sense before we make longer term decisions.

I would like to answer the question asked about converting waste to biofuel. A lot of the biofuel currently in petrol and diesel in Ireland comes from used cooking oil. A lot of waste is already being deployed in biofuel in the transport sector. The anaerobic digester in existence is using waste to produce biogas. It is hoped it will have significant potential as the market for compressed natural gas increases. Then we can substitute biogas for it in order to make it emit even less carbon over time.