Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 960: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage of the vehicle fleet here that is run on bio-fuels or other alternative energy sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29063/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 970: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he proposed to incentivise the use of home-produced alternative fuels in the transport sector with a view to combating global warming while at the same time maximising the economic benefit nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29196/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 981: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of applications for approval in respect of bio-fuels such as ethanol, bio-diesel or other fuel oils currently before his Department or awaiting approval; his proposals for the future in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29208/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 982: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans or proposals to increase the availability and use of bio-diesel or ethanol, directly or blended with other fuels, with a view to compliance with, in the first instance, the Kyoto principals and the need to implement enhanced measures to combat global warming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29209/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 960, 970, 981 and 982 together.

Data on the percentage of the vehicle fleet here run solely on bio-fuels or other alternative energy sources is not available. Following the introduction of the Mineral Oil Tax Relief Schemes, much of the road fuels sold at forecourts contain at least some bio-fuel content. All vehicles are capable of taking blends of up to 5% without modification.

There are no applications awaiting approval in my Department in relation to Bio-fuels. Bio-fuels Mineral Oil Tax Relief Schemes were launched by my Department in 2005 and 2006 resulting in 18 projects being awarded excise relief between 2005 and 2010. The schemes were designed as interim measures to accelerate the level of bio-fuels in the fuel mix, in advance of the introduction of a bio-fuels obligation. As a result of these schemes, bio-fuels are already being mainstreamed in blends of up to 5% at a number of existing petrol and diesel pumps, and higher blends are being sold to identified vehicle fleets.

The planned introduction of a Bio-fuels Obligation by 2009 will require all fuel suppliers to ensure that bio-fuels represent a certain percentage of their annual fuel sales. The bio-fuels obligation will provide a long-term market based framework for the development of a bio-fuels sector and delivery of bio-fuels targets to 2020.

Ireland's national bio-fuels obligation will take full account of EU and global developments in relation to bio-fuels and related sustainability criteria. Ireland is working closely with other Member States in the negotiations to ensure that all bio-fuels placed on the European and Irish market are verifiably produced by reference to appropriate environmental and sustainability criteria. Our collective objective in the European Union must be to ensure that production and investment in bio-fuels is fully sustainable. I fully support the Commission's objective in relation to setting a robust sustainable framework for bio-fuels policy, which will see the EU taking a lead in this complex area.

Bio-fuels are one aspect of our response to rising emissions in the transport sector. Through appropriate RD&D schemes such as the Charles Parsons awards, we are incentivising the development of second generation bio-fuels, which will not use food stocks as raw material input. I am also committed to progress the use of other renewable energy sources in the transport sector including electricity.