Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason wind farms with full planning permission are prohibited from connecting to Ireland's public grid; his plans to remove this anomaly and direct the Commission for Energy Regulation to fast-track those applications forthwith for immediate connection to the national grid (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29919/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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At present, I have certain limited statutory powers to give directions to the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, and these do not include a power to issue instructions on this matter. They are restricted solely to electricity trading arrangements.

Any dispute concerning access to the electricity network is a matter for determination by the Commission for Energy Regulation, in the first instance, in accordance with section 34 (6) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, No. 23/1999. The CER is an independent body in the exercise of this function in accordance with paragraph 9 in the Schedule to the same Act. I have no statutory authority or function in that process.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he will take to speed up the production of electricity from wind power and other non-fossil fuel concepts in view of the significant increase in fossil fuel energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29920/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The consumption of electricity from renewable energy sources was of the order of 5.1% of total electricity consumed in 2004. I recently announced and am currently finalising a new support programme to support the construction of at least a further 400 MW of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plant by 2010. This capacity, together with other capacity constructed since 2004, will more than double the consumption level from 5.1% in 2004 to 13.2%, at least, by 2010.

The new support programme will assist projects in the market ready categories of biomass, small scale hydro and large and small scale wind power. All other renewable energy based technologies, which are not yet market ready, can make application to the research and development programme operated by Sustainable Energy Ireland, www.irish-energy.ie.

The detailed draft terms and conditions of the new feed-in support programme were put out to publication consultation, on my Department's website, www.dcmnr.gov.ie. Interested parties had until 12 October to raise any queries or to furnish any observations on the proposals. Approximately 30 responses were received. Following consideration of the matters raised in these responses, the new programme, to be known as the renewable energy feed-in tariff, REFIT, will be finalised and published.