Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the acreage and variety of bio-fuel crops currently growing or proposed in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25977/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent to which he has had discussions with his EU colleagues in the matter of bio-energy crops; the extent to which such discussions are expected to impact positively on climate change issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25978/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together.

The area devoted to energy crops increased from 137 hectares in 2003 to just over 9,000 hectares in 2007. The varieties of energy crops sown to date are Oilseed Rape, Miscanthus, Willow, Oats and Wheat. A figure for the number of hectares planted under energy crops in 2008 is not yet available. This figure will be forwarded directly to the Deputy immediately it becomes available, together with a listing of crops being grown under the 2008 Energy Crops Scheme.

Support to farmers for growing energy crops is available under the EU Energy Crops Scheme, which provides an EU premium of €45 per hectare for energy crops that are used to produce bio-fuels and electric and thermal energy produced from biomass. In 2006, my predecessor called for a review of the energy crop premium, as it was not proving effective in Ireland and also raised the matter with the Agriculture Commissioner. The EU Commission subsequently published a Report on implementation of the scheme and made a proposal to allow Member States pay national aid of up to 50% of the costs associated with establishing miscanthus and willow. Following the adoption of this Proposal, the Department introduced a new Bio-energy Scheme offering establishment grants of €1,450 per hectare to farmers to plant willow and miscanthus.

The cultivation of energy crops for bio-fuel feedstock provides an alternative land use option for farmers and is part of the solution to mitigating the harmful effects of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. Sustainability in the production and use of bio-fuels is critical and in that regard the Commission has proposed new environmental sustainability criteria for bio-fuel use in the EU. The criteria will set strict targets for bio-fuels in terms of greenhouse gas emission savings.