Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the differences in renewable energy feed in tariffs for biomass technologies and anaerobic digesters available in Northern Ireland compared to those available here; his plans to improve the scheme available here to make it more attractive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9487/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The tariffs under the REFIT scheme for biomass technology (REFIT3), including those for anaerobic digestion, were calculated following detailed analysis by my Department working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Teagasc.

The consensus is that the tariffs are appropriate to the circumstances pertaining in the Irish sector. They were notified to the European Commission as part of the State Aid approval process and cleared by the Commission. They are designed to facilitate the development of the bioenergy sector and also protect the interests of electricity consumers. There are no proposals to increase the tariffs as now agreed.