Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps being taken to pursue the option of carbon capture and storage; the legislation, required to advance this method of addressing CO2 emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35628/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The assessment of the prospects for geological storage of carbon in Ireland is at a relatively early stage. A study by Sustainable Energy Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) examining the potential for such storage on the island of Ireland is proceeding on schedule. The results of this study is due to be submitted to the Department by end September next year and at that point I will then decide how best to proceed in the matter.

An EPA-GSI project in the next 2 years will evaluate the prospect for potentially favourable sites in the Moneypoint region. This study is due to be submitted to the Department by end 2009. The GSI intends to affiliate to an active European network on geological storage of carbon to ensure we are fully aware of best practice on technical options relevant to Ireland.

My Department is also participating in other EU and international fora where the potential for carbon capture and storage is being progressed. The Commission's Strategic Energy Technology Plan was published on 22 November, setting out a proposed roadmap for energy research for the period to 2020. It sets out a number of key EU technology challenges for the next ten years including a CO2 capture, transport and storage project of industrial scale. I have welcomed, in principle, the overall direction of the plan. The question of legislative underpinning for geological storage of carbon will be kept under review in light of developments.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures he proposes to take in order to reduce the level of carbon emissions from electricity generating stations. [34761/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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All commercial scale fossil fuelled electricity generating stations in Ireland are obliged to participate in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, as part of the national and EU contribution to meeting greenhouse gas emissions obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.

My colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has overall responsibility for the management of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in Ireland. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for operating and monitoring the scheme here with participants being legally obliged to report their emissions levels on an annual basis to the EPA.

Under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, installations are granted a certain level of allowances and are required to either mitigate their emissions or purchase allowances for any emissions above the level of allowances. Accordingly, it is a matter for the individual electricity generating stations to decide on the most cost effective mix of abatement measures for their business.

The Government has already decided, in the context of the preparation of Ireland's second National Allocation Plan under the scheme, that the emissions trading sector as a whole will be responsible for making approximately 3 million tonnes annual reductions in greenhouse gases out of the approximately 7 million tonnes per annum reductions needed to enable Ireland to meet its Kyoto target over the period 2008 to 2012, after existing abatement measures have been taken into account. Research work being carried out by the GSI and others is also examining the potential future location of underground storage of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel power plants.