Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the contribution his Department makes to formulating the Government's climate change policy; if, in view of the landmark Stern Report on climate change and the second meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Kenya, he will review the current Irish climate change policy; if he will ensure that an accelerated biofuels policy plays a key role in the Irish effort to tackle climate change; if he has reviewed the recent Energy in Transport 2006 Report publication from Sustainable Energy Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38857/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has lead responsibility for Government policy on climate change, including the Review of the National Climate Change Strategy. The Review, entitled "Ireland's Pathway to Kyoto Compliance" was published for consultation earlier this year and is currently being considered by the Minister.

My Department participates in the Inter-Departmental Team on Climate Change, which deals with a wide range of related policy issues including the overall allocation of allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the Review of the National Climate Change Strategy.

A range of initiatives are in place to support the development of a biofuels sector in Ireland. The 2005 pilot mineral oil tax relief scheme for biofuels has resulted in eight projects being awarded excise relief for a two-year period under the scheme including four pure plant oil, three biodiesel or other biofuel and one bioethanol proposal.

Building on the success of this scheme I launched the Biofuels Mineral Oil Tax Relief Scheme II, valued at over €200m, in July 2006. The scheme will be rolled out this year and will enable us to reach the initial target of 2% market penetration of biofuels by 2008. When fully operational the relief is expected to support the use and production of some 163 million litres of biofuels each year. The successful applicants under the scheme will be announced shortly.

I welcome the recently published "Energy in Transport, Trends and Influencing Factors", published by Sustainable Energy Ireland which is a valuable source of statistics, information and analysis regarding energy trends in the transport sector.