Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

That review is underway and I look forward to further questions in order that we can report on it. The Department is reviewing the scheme and intends to have that completed by mid-2009 in order to assess the need for a further scheme. The new scheme will require State aid approval and we must address this as well as additional Exchequer funding. It will have to take account also of all other demands made. A growth area such as bio-energy must be encouraged because it is an investment that will ensure we are not so dependent on imported fuel. Although we export 80% of our food production we import 90% of the energy for it. Somewhere along the line we must try to reduce that import dependency. Bio-fuel is one of the ways of achieving that.

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