Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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45. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in relation to the progress of the National Bioenergy Strategy, the way his Department is integrating its efforts in preparing this strategy with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; if he will describe the level of consultations between the Departments and the issues being discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27976/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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My Department, along with the a number of other Departments and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is currently finalising a Bioenergy Strategy, which will be published in the next few months. This will set out in detail the actions required to optimise the bioenergy sector’s contribution to the 2020 renewable energy targets.

Policy options are being assessed by a cross departmental working group made up of officials from my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and SEAI to assess the most appropriate and cost effective means of meeting our challenging targets in the renewable energy sectors and positioning Ireland to meet post 2020 challenges.