Mr. Bill Callanan:

I will start with the question about anaerobic digestion, AD. As far as progress on it is concerned, we have committed to supporting the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on AD because that Department is the main driver on it. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine sees it as inherently valuable to the overall contribution. We must recognise where it might fit in, which would be particularly around biomethane because the transport fuel alternatives are quite limited.

Let us be honest. There are political decisions to be made as to how to manage the cost differential. I discussed this recently with Gas Networks Ireland, representatives of which were before the Joint Committee on Climate Action and Environment yesterday. I spoke to Denis O'Sullivan quite recently about this and met Ervia to discuss it as well. Somebody will have to resolve the issue of pricing and how this is supported. The current gas price is approximately 2.5 cent per kilowatt hour, whereas biogas is 8.5 cent and biomethane is approximately 11 cent. That is quite a substantial differential that has to be filled. How that is done is a matter for another Department, but this Department sees that there are viable uses of animal manures and for a certain amount of grass into that system. From our perspective, however, we must resolve the issue of compliance with the sustainability criteria. Then one must get good yields with very little nitrogen input. These are just the rule requirements. I think Teagasc has commenced a project on how this can be achieved. It has also set up a small biogas plant in Grange to investigate this. That is the position in respect of AD. We see it as valuable but it is very costly, and that must be resolved in advance of any major progression of it.

Deputy Corcoran Kennedy asked about the IPCC.