Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 973: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for enhancing the development of the alternative energy sectors with particular reference to the need to meet internationally accepted targets towards the reduction of fossil fuels and less reliance on the use of carbon credits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29200/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Government has set ambitious but essential targets for the use of renewable energy sources in electricity, heat and transport. These targets are set out in the following table. Delivery on these targets will contribute to the progressive displacement of fossil fuels and the carbon liability arising.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 974: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of alternative energy production units that have become operational in the past six months; the extent of import substitution achieved as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29201/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Statistics on the renewable energy sector are collected, calculated, verified and published annually by the Energy Policy Statistical Support Unit of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). The specific information requested by the Deputy for the current year is not yet available.

The most recent published report is "Energy in Ireland 2006", which was published in late 2007. In this publication, SEI report on indigenous energy production in terms of (ktoe) thousands of tonnes of oil equivalent. This data show that renewable energy production has risen in Ireland from 235,000 tonnes of oil equivalent in 2000 to 367,000 tonnes of oil equivalent in 2005 and 420,000 tonnes of oil equivalent in 2006.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 975: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of enterprises here seeking approval for the provision of alternative energy production, such as wind farms, bio-ethanol or bio-diesel or other forms of alternative energy production; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of some such producers at recurring delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29202/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 985: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of applications currently with him seeking approval for wind generated electricity; when he expects approval to issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29213/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 975 and 985 together.

The Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) programme, which is administered by my Department, supports the production of electricity from new electricity generating plants powered from renewable energy sources. These include wind-power and biomass which could include bio-ethanol and bio-diesel from vegetal matter, which is bio-degradable. All applications received to date under the REFIT scheme that meet the published terms and conditions have been approved without any undue delays.