Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The scheme is designed to develop a stable bio-fuel supply in Ireland using a market mechanism that does not lead to huge price spikes and that is consistent. As I stated, the evidence from the first few months is that it is starting to deliver the level of targets I set. I acknowledge that it is primarily blended, rather than pure plant oil or other single fuel systems. However, the critical point is to provide a stable market that will allow alternative suppliers, where they wish to contract with a haulage company or anyone else, to trade in obligation certificates. The creation of such a stable market and the placing of a value on an alternative fuel supply is the best mechanism for Ireland to try to set up that developing industry and to enable local producers here to supply to local transport providers. One must be careful with regard to the development of bio-fuels. Their purpose is to be a strategic backup reserve to try to provide some stability or security against future oil shocks but not necessarily to take off in a massive way that would have huge land use or other environmental implications globally. It must be developed sensitively. We have to monitor and review it. In particular, we have to look at the development of second generation bio-fuels that have fewer land use concerns. We have to do all of that within the EU obligation structure we have set up. I sense that it is working.

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