Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for the question and welcome the opportunity to provide an update on the Government's progress on delivering on our biomethane ambitions. The Government has committed to supporting the production of up to 5.7 TW of indigenous produced biomethane by 2030, a key pillar of our national and EU climate and energy targets. A critical first step on this journey was the publication of the national biomethane strategy, which outlines 25 strategic actions to drive growth across the sector. To oversee this work, the biomethane implementation group, chaired by my Department, was established in 2024. It has met four times to date, bringing together key Government Departments, agencies and sectoral stakeholders. The group will meet again in September of this year and is currently finalising a progress report that will be published shortly on www.gov.ie. This report will provide updates on the key deliverables including the biomethane sustainability charter and the development of the biomethane information hub and communications strategy.

The charter is a priority action under the strategy. It has now been finalised following extensive consultation and is being prepared for publication. The charter will set out best practice guidelines to ensure that anaerobic digestion is developed in a more environmentally sustainable manner, protecting waste, soil, biodiversity, and ensuring that health and safety standards are maintained. This work is part of a broader policy framework that includes forthcoming renewable heat obligations and the heat networks Bill, both of which are progressing through Government and will provide the regulatory certainty and investment signals needed to scale up renewable heat and district heating infrastructure. In short, we are moving from strategy to action. The biomethane implementation group is central to ensuring that we can translate a coordinated policy into accountable and transparent action.

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