Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 1526: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is addressing the competition for forestry thinnings between State subsidised biomass projects and private utilization. [33421/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The cross-Departmental/Agency Bioenergy Working Group is currently finalising a Bioenergy Road Map to 2020, which will underpin the contribution of bioenergy to Ireland's Renewable Energy target for 2020 and which will be submitted to me in the near future. I announced earlier this year proposed REFIT tariffs for bioenergy produced from biomass, which will help foster the development of a sustainable biomass sector by driving demand for biomass. The REFIT tariffs are subject to State Aid approval.

The developing energy demand for biomass, underpinned by REFIT means that bioenergy waste, such as forestry thinnings, become valuable in its own right, and this can have effects on other business already operating in that sector. My Department is committed to working closely with the stakeholders including Bord na Móna and Coillte to ensure against market distortion as a consequence of the REFIT tariffs.