David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he is supporting agricultural based renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38960/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, energy policy, including renewable energy policy, is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, T.D. Officials from my Department work closely with their counterparts in Minister Rabbitte's Department and also with other Agencies and Bodies such as the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Teagasc in developing renewable energy policy in the Agriculture Sector.

The Bioenergy Scheme, which has been in place since 2007, has provided grant-aid of up to 50% of establishment costs of the energy crops willow and miscanthus. Up to the end of 2011, over 3,000 hectares of energy crops have been established under the Bioenergy Scheme. On Monday 5th December 2011, as part of the announcement of the expenditure estimates for my Department in 2012, I announced the re-opening of the Bioenergy Scheme for 2012. The Scheme in 2012 has the potential to support the establishment of a further 1,400 hectares of energy crops in 2012.

My Department has also provided funding for research under the Stimulus fund 2007-2013 to three projects related to anaerobic digestion. These are:

(a) Developing grass for sustainable renewable energy generation and value added products – led by Dr Padraig O'Kiely (Teagasc Grange) and in collaboration with QUB and UCC.

(b) Energy generation option for pig manure and sustainable disposal of residue – led by Dr Peadar Lawlor (Teagasc Moorepark) and in collaboration with NUIG and AFBI Northern Ireland.

(c) Evaluating Irish grassland as a source for bioenergy: Environmental Impacts and long term sustainability – led by Dr. Tomara Hochstrasser (UCD) and in collaboration with Teagasc Oakpark and AFBI Northern Ireland.

A Scheme of Investment Aid for Demonstration of On-Farm Waste Processing Facilities was introduced by my Department in June 2006 under the aegis of the 2000-2006 National Development Plan, with funding of €4m as provided for in that Plan. In 2007, grant-aid was approved under the Scheme for the development of ten on-farm anaerobic digestion facilities. The grant-aid is payable only on completion of the work concerned and one grant of €400,000 has been drawn down to-date.

The Deputy may also be aware of the recent decision by DG Competition to grant State Aid clearance for proposed Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariffs (REFIT) for Biomass Technologies. I am confident that the introduction of these tariffs will help to underpin the further development of renewable energy initiatives in the Agriculture Sector.