Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not propose to accept the amendment relating to palm oil being excluded as a biofuel for the purposes of the Act as it is outside the scope of the Bill. However, I do share the Senator's concerns regarding the use of palm oil as a feedstock in the production of biofuels. The risk in terms of the production of biofuels is that feedstock will be grown on cropland previously used to grow food or feed for livestock or is rich in biodiversity, with the consequent risk that agricultural production is moved to marginal land. This land can include areas important for storing carbon and maintaining biodiversity, such as peatlands and forests.

The recast EU renewable energy directive agreed in 2018 sets limits on the use of certain feedstock for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, including palm oil. The directive must be transposed into Irish law by the middle of next year. I am considering setting a limit of 0% for certain such biofuels which displace the production of food in land use far earlier than the required end date of 2030 permitted under the directive. This would have the effect of ceasing the supply of biofuels produced using palm oil as a feedstock in Ireland.