Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in 2005, biofuels contributed only 0.05% to the Irish fuel mix, below even the Government's target of 0.06% and well below the EU target of 2% for 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3880/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government remains committed to meeting the indicative target agreed in the Biofuels Directive 2003/30/EC of 5.75% by 2010 through the use of obligatory fuel blending and excise relief. Ireland remains on course to meet its revised interim target of 2% for 2008, which was agreed by the EU, through the Mineral Oil Tax Relief (MOTR) Scheme II, announced by my colleague the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in November 2006.

This Scheme will place 163 million litres of biofuels on the market at a cost to the Exchequer of €200 million over the period 2006-2010. It is expected that, at full capacity in 2008, the Biofuels MOTR Scheme II will result in 2.2% of transport fuels being met by biofuels resulting in savings of over 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) over the five-year period.