Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his key targets for renewable energy in the period to 2030; his targets for electricity based on renewables in the same period; if he will review the Government's White Paper on Energy in relation to more ambitious targets or policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19478/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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We have set ambitious targets to increase the contribution of renewable energy by 2020 as set out in the Government's White Paper on Energy Policy and the Programme for Government. The challenges inherent in achieving these targets will require sustained delivery by all concerned. We will be regularly reviewing and reporting on progress in light of technological and other developments and in that context the question of setting further targets for 2030 will be addressed.

The targets should not be seen as a limit on our ambitions but rather a baseline from which further progress can be achieved.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage of Irish energy demand sourced from imported fuel sources; the amount renewable energy sources contribute to total Irish energy demand; the percentage of Irish energy demand generated through wind, wave, hydro or biomass sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19479/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Provisional figures supplied by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) estimate that import dependency during 2006 was 89.7% and that renewable energy resources contributed 3% to total primary energy requirement in 2006.

The dominant use of renewable energy technologies was in the electricity market with an estimated contribution of 8.5% in 2006. Allocated within the wider energy market, by energy resource, the contributions range from 0.42% from hydro, 0.94% from wind and 1.63% biomass. Harnessing wave-power remains in the research phase globally.