Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Undoubtedly every Department will be looking to get their hands on that money. That is why I want to hear that the Minister will fight for at least €300 million. That is why we thought it would have been better to state that this money will be there for an industry that is in its infancy and that needs clarity and certainty. As that certainty is not there, the sooner the Minister gets in there to say that this is the amount of money available, the sooner that clarity will be available for the industry.

The Minister said that there would be engagement with the Commission on this soon. One of the real threats to our domestic biomethane industry is hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, being imported and used as a substitute. This is problematic because it is palm oil. We are seeing biodiversity destroyed to have these large plantations, which goes against biodiversity targets and is undermining domestic production. What will Ireland do to protect our domestic biomethane industry and not allow it to be undermined by imported and sometimes fraudulently marketed HVO?

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