Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 869: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he has taken or proposes to take to encourage or offer grant support to promote oil seed for heating purposes, without separation of oil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29092/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The €27m Greener Homes Scheme provides grant aid for renewable heat technologies including wood biomass, solar panels and heat pumps. A further wood biomass programme, valued at €22 million, has been launched for the commercial heating sector. The development of support strategies for oil seed as a renewable energy source have focussed to date on renewable transport fuels. The biofuels excise scheme currently focused on the transport sector has the potential to offer significant opportunities for the development of pure plant oil growing and processing facilities in Ireland, and also provides economies of scale and commercial returns for processors. In that context, the technical scope for promoting usage in the heating sector can be explored as part of our commitment to develop the full range of options to optimise the potential of the bioenergy resources.