Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I am not accepting this amendment. I accept the motivation in putting it down but it would have the opposite effect to the effect the Deputy wants. My understanding of the intent of the Deputy is that he wants biofuels mentioned in this section because of the increased importance of biofuels, renewable energy sources and so on in the future. I do not disagree with his view that they will be important. That is why we have come up with the two schemes in regard to biofuels but the effect of including this amendment in the Bill would be to place a levy on biofuels similar to that on fossil fuels. That would make biofuels more expensive and for that reason would defeat the purpose of the excise relief scheme on biofuels.

While I accept the thinking of the Deputy in trying to highlight the importance of biofuels in the future, this Bill is not the way to do it. It would be more appropriate to a different kind of Bill. I am sure the Deputy would not want a levy to be put on biofuels because that might have the effect of diminishing any move towards the provision of biofuels in the future.

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