Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 603: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is pursuing an agreement at EU level for the draft agreement, due to the decision on 2 February 2010, on a new round of funding to be allocated from the emissions trading schemes allowances for the development of carbon capture and storage and support projects on innovative renewable energy technologies; if he has identified renewable energy projects that would promote sustainable economic and social development in isolated rural communities and provide employment in isolated rural communities which is part of the qualifying criteria for this EU funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5386/10]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 604: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will make funding available to co-finance renewable energy projects in isolated rural areas that will be applicable to a new round of EU funding for such projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5387/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 604 together.

The New Entrant Reserve (NER) 300 is a budget of 300 million EU emission unit allowances (EUAs) allocated in December 2008 to finance innovative demonstration projects in the fields of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and Renewable Energy.

As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the meeting on the 2nd of February is to decide on the Draft Commission Decision, which includes eligibility criteria that will be used to select projects under the NER 300 programme. My officials have been fully engaged with this process since its inception, and are actively involved in trying to bring this process to a successful conclusion. However, it is entirely premature to move to identify suitable projects, given that it is not yet known what the grounds for selecting these projects will be.