Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 537: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage of biofuel crops that have been supplied to date under Government support schemes that have been produced from raw materials sourced here; the percentage that has been imported from abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27463/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Bioenergy Action Plan sets out, among other things, measures aimed at encouraging farmers to grow energy crops. The move to a biofuels obligation in 2009 together with our ambitious targets, is creating opportunities for the farming community to diversify into energy crops. The production of energy crops in Ireland is relatively underdeveloped and the incentives put in place by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, are designed to encourage further development.

Ireland currently has 400,000 hectares of land under tillage and 75,000 hectares of land would be required if all of the 2% biofuels target were to be met from indigenous crops. By establishing targets of 5.75% and 10% market penetration by 2010 and 2020, we are creating a Biofuels market framework in which Irish farmers will have significant opportunities to participate. While there is a significant increase in indigenous feedstocks being used in the biofuels scheme, I am not in a position to state the precise percentage of indigenous raw materials being used.

In the case of larger scale, long-term developments under the scheme, where significant investments are required, a degree of imports have been identified as necessary until facilities and feedstock supply chains are in place. The majority of applicants under the scheme have indicated that it is their immediate or longer term intention to locate processing facilities in Ireland.