Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of meetings which the bioenergy strategy group has held to date; the progress it has made; when the publication of its recommendations is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10709/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2003 my Department, in association with Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, set up a bioenergy strategy group, BSG, to consider the policy options and support mechanisms available to Government to stimulate increased use of biomass for energy conversion, and to make specific recommendations for action to increase the penetration of bioenergy in Ireland. Membership of the BSG comprised representatives of various Departments as well as State agencies in the agriculture and energy sectors and industry representatives.

The BSG held 11 meetings during the course of 2004. The work of the group was recently completed and a report including recommendations has been produced. These recommendations are being considered within the context of overall renewable energy policy development.

In tandem with this development, the renewable energy development group was established on 6 May 2004 to consider the future development of renewable energy generally in Ireland. This group is chaired by my Department and comprises relevant experts from the administrative, industry and scientific sector including the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, SEI, ESB National Grid and the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, among others.

The renewable energy development group is at the end of its current work phase and is expected to report shortly. This report will form the basis of my future policy decisions on the increased penetration of renewable energy technologies, including biomass, in the electricity market and will seek to ensure that developers can make a reasonable rate of return on renewable energy projects while ensuring that the interests of national competitiveness and the ultimate burden of cost to the final consumer are all fully taken into consideration.