Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 708: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm that there has not been and will not be queue-jumping or interference by his Department in favour of offshore wind projects to the detriment of onshore projects which have already applied for connection in the gate three connection process. [6405/08]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 756: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the changes in financial arrangements or tariffs to the onshore wind sector in recent months; if, in view of recent announcements, offshore is now the preferred option for wind energy; his views on the 8000 MW of wind applications to the grid at the present time; the position regarding these applications; if the onshore providers awaiting access to the grid will be given less favourable status than offshore wind applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6747/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 708 and 756 together.

The Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) programme establishes a stable investment environment for new renewable energy projects across a variety of renewable energy technologies which might not otherwise secure the necessary investment. The different prices in REFIT, by category, for biomass, biomass AD/CHP, small-hydropower, landfill-gas, wave/ocean, large-wind, small-wind and offshore-wind reflect the different investment costs in each category. The provision of a higher price in any category is indicative of the higher costs in that category to ensure the completion of projects. However, these tariffs are not indicative of any preference for one category over another.

Requests for connections to the electricity network, in the case of both onshore and offshore wind powered projects, are a matter for ESB Networks or EirGrid. Any dispute about the terms or conditions of any response to a request for a connection is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation. I have no statutory function in the matter.

The tariffs published in the terms and conditions of the REFIT support programme for onshore wind-powered projects is €57 megawatt-hour for large scale wind powered projects and €59 megawatt-hour for small scale wind powered projects. In accordance with the published REFIT terms and conditions these tariffs have increased in line with the change in the consumer price index in 2006 with effect from 1st January 2007 and again in line with the change in the consumer price index in 2007 with effect from 1st January 2008.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 709: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reasons he has refused price increases to onshore wind energy projects while granting them to offshore projects. [6406/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The fixed prices published in the terms and conditions of the Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT) support programme for wind-powered projects is €57 megawatt-hour for large scale wind powered projects and €59 megawatt-hour for small scale wind powered projects. In accordance with the published REFIT terms and conditions these tariffs have increased in line with the change in the consumer price index (CPI) in 2006 with effect from 1.1.2007 and in line with the change in the CPI in 2007 with effect from 1.1.2008.

The original scope of the REFIT scheme did not include any tariff for offshore wind projects. I announced a first time new tariff band of €140 per megawatt-hour for offshore wind on 7th February.