Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures he is taking to advance the production of biofuels here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32716/07]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of firms that have been granted excise relief under the biofuels MOT relief scheme to date; the amount of production in litres for each; the value of grant for each; and if he will provide the information in tabular readable form. [32717/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.

The Programme for Government commits to the development of an Irish biofuels industry and to the overall development and deployment of indigenous bio-energy resources. In this context, it is intended to introduce a Biofuels Obligation in 2009, which will require all fuel suppliers to ensure that biofuels represent a certain percentage of their annual fuel sales. The design and implementation of the obligation will be the subject of detailed consultation over coming months and will require legislative underpinning.

The obligation will build on the results of the 2005 and 2006, mineral oil tax (MOT) relief schemes for biofuels, which saw a total of 18 projects being awarded excise relief in respect of the period 2005 to 2010. While the individual amounts of biofuel produced by the companies concerned, is commercially sensitive information, I can advise the Deputy that, to the end of May 2007, there was over 9m litres of biofuel produced under the MOT Relief Schemes. Production figures of the second half of 2007 will be confirmed in light of half-yearly project reports due this month.

Details of the volume of litres of excise relief awarded to each of the companies are provided in the table.