Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of buses in operation in the Dublin Bus fleet that ran on alternative fuels on 1 December 2007; the number of buses in operation in the Dublin Bus fleet that ran on hybrid engines on 1 December 2007; the number of buses in operation in the Bus Éireann fleet that ran on alternative fuels on 1 December 2007; and the number of buses in operation in the Bus Éireann fleet that ran on hybrid engines on 1 December 2007. [36059/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Both Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have been undertaking trials on the use of biofuels. As of 1 December 2007 one open-top bus used on Cork City tours runs on a mix of 95% regular diesel and 5% bio-diesel fuel. The bio-diesel is derived from rape-seed oil. Dublin Bus use bio-diesel made from recovered vegetable oil (RVO) on five open-top tour buses.

This year Dublin Bus will be leasing, with financial support from my Department, a prototype hybrid electric double-decker bus. It is estimated that this vehicle can achieve 34% less fuel consumption than a standard bus. Dublin Bus will consider the further acquisition of hybrid electric vehicles as part of future fleet replacement.

I am working to achieve emissions reductions in the public transport fleet. The Government has decided in the Energy White Paper that CIE move to using a 5% biodiesel blend in current buses and to plan for a 30% blend in new ones and my Department is working with CIÉ to establish how these targets can be achieved in the shortest time frame possible.