Dáil debates

Wednesday, 6 December 2006

4:00 pm

Photo of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Linking consumption taxes to environmental goals requires us to discuss the details of such moves thoroughly with stakeholders if we want to get it right.

Energy

In my last budget, I announced an excise relief scheme for bio-fuels in the energy area. The relief is worth more than €200 million over five years. This initiative helps reduce our dependence on conventional fossil fuels, lowers CO2 emissions and stimulates new activity in the agriculture sector. In addition, the Government has also introduced grant schemes for new energy technologies at both the domestic and the commercial levels amounting to €65 million in the period 2006 to 2010. Building on the renewable energy package I introduced last year, I am making a number of further changes today.

The greener homes scheme has had a very positive response from the public. The scheme provides grants for the installation of new energy technologies such as bio-mass burners, heat pumps and solar panels. There have been about 10,000 applications so far. I am increasing the planned spend in this area by €20 million between now and the end of 2009.

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