Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the European Commission's proposal to limit the use of crop based biofuels in transport by 2020 to 5%; if he will include this issue on the agenda of the upcoming Hunger Summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15510/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, takes the lead on Government policy in regard to bio-fuels. The EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009 requires that 10% of transport fuels should come from renewable sources by 2020. The directive also provided that the ongoing effects of its implementation be monitored by the European Commission. Following a number of studies, in October 2012 the Commission published a proposal to amend the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive. The Commission included a proposal that the 10% quota be reduced to 5%.

The proposal for a reduction to 5%, in conjunction with the incentives for advanced, or next generation, bio-fuels, signals the desire of the Commission to move towards the use of advanced bio-fuels made from feedstocks which do not compete with the production of food. While member states agree that the issue must be addressed, it is an extremely complex matter and there is no agreement yet on the appropriateness of a 5% cap.

Progress is being made in this regard at an ad hoc working group of the EU energy and environment Councils, with the objective of producing a progress report for both Councils in June 2013.

I share concerns that bio-fuel production, unless properly regulated, can have a negative impact on food production and food prices. Higher food prices accentuate the challenges faced by poor people in developing countries in accessing sufficient food and having a nutritionally balanced diet.

The international conference that the Government is hosting with the Mary Robinson Foundation, the World Food Programme and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research in Dublin on 15 April and 16 April will be a dialogue on the interlinked issues of hunger, nutrition and climate justice. The event will bring together a diverse audience, connecting key policy-makers and global thought leaders with local people and practitioners facing the realities of rising food prices, failed crops and malnutrition.

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The objective will be to learn from practical experience and from robust evidence of local solutions to these challenges, which will be presented during the conference by representatives of grassroots organisations from developing countries.

This year, the international community will review progress on the millennium development goals, two years before the target date for their achievement. Policy discussions will also begin on the post-2015 development agenda. It is essential that these policy processes be firmly rooted in the reality of people’s lives and objective evidence of what has worked and what has not.

In hosting this conference, we hope to inspire new ways of thinking about global development challenges and to invigorate and broaden the debate, at all levels, listening to and learning from the experiences of local people, and rooting future thematic policy approaches in their lives and their efforts to cope.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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It is rather ironic that the renewable energy directive, which has the grand ideal of working to combat climate change, should have such a negative effect. There is no doubt that the bio-fuel industry is driving land-grabbing in Africa. Some of the scientific data and reports we have received bear this out. Recently an NGO from Kenya told us about the circumstances in that country. It is reckoned that 40 million hectares have been taken from African land for bio-fuels since 2000, and this is having very negative effects, such as land displacement and evictions. These, in turn, cause hunger and water shortages. I will not address the labour issues associated with some of the companies involved.

Is Ireland supporting the reduction of the cap to 5%? When the Tánaiste addresses the Mary Robinson Foundation's conference, will he be saying that Ireland will support the 5% cap?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Ireland is supporting the 5% cap. As I indicated, the discussions are ongoing. They are quite complex in the sense that there are a number of countries, particularly in eastern Europe, that regard any change to the 10% cap agreed in the original directive of 2009 as interfering with their industrial status. There is considerable awareness about the discussions. It is hoped that some progress will be made. The matter is being discussed under the Irish Presidency. Everybody would like to see us begin the process of separating the approaches to bio-fuels that interfere with food production from those of producing fuels from waste and other materials.

It is recognised that much land has been purchased in Africa recently. Some of it has been purchased for the production of bio-fuels and some for other purposes. This could have an impact in a continent in which food security is a major issue. This is a major consideration that we are taking on board. It will be very much relevant to the conference to which I referred.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Let me refer to two excellent reports on bio-fuels. The first, Fuel for thought: Addressing the social impacts of EU bio-fuels policies, was produced by ActionAid, and the second, The Race for Land, was produced by the Swedish Cooperative Centre. They really provide great insight. The last thing we want is for Ireland to be giving aid to alleviate hunger while it is taken back owing to the energy issue, thus creating more hunger in Africa.

I look forward to supporting the 5% cap. There should be direct discussions with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on this matter in the interest of policy coherence.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I have seen the reports. Only yesterday I had a meeting with the Sierra Leone group, which produced a report on its concerns about what is happening in that country. This is very much taken on board. As the Deputy knows, Ireland devotes 20% of its overseas development aid to tackling hunger. It is the only country in the world that does so.

The area of hunger, nutrition and food security is central to our policy. I spoke as recently as yesterday with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, about his position on the negotiations taking place on the European Union regulation. We will be continuing our discussion in that manner.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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As Deputy Pringle is not in the House to deal with Question No. 5, we will move on to Question No. 6.