Dáil debates

Tuesday, 13 February 2007

 

Biofuels (Blended Motor Fuels) Bill 2007: Second Stage

7:00 am

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

The Green Paper states "It should be noted that mandates — where fuel suppliers are required to produce a percentage of bio-fuel in each litre of fuel sold — are not currently permitted under EU law". Should the Opposition be in any doubt, the public consultation document on the bio-fuels directive, published by the EU Commission in April 2006 notes that bio-fuels obligations and excise relief programmes are the chosen bio-fuel policy instruments of many member states. On the question of a mandate in the form proposed by the Fine Gael Party, the Commission stated:

A third approach would be to require each litre of petrol or diesel sold to contain a given proportion of bio-fuel. This mandate system has been used in Brazil and elsewhere. In Europe, however, it would contravene the EU fuel quality directive as presently drafted. In addition, without EU wide harmonisation of the minimum proportion per litre, such an obligation would constitute a serious internal market barrier.

Fine Gael Members probably only read the first sentence.

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