Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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499. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Irish Aid intends to respond to the public consultation issued by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources in relation to a proposed increase in the biofuels obligation rate; and how he envisages that the principle of policy coherence for development will be given effect in decision-making in relation to biofuels. [45455/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all EU Member States a binding target that 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. In all Member States, biofuels will be the largest contributor to meeting this obligation and all biofuels used in meeting the target must comply with a strict set of sustainability criteria.

My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, takes the lead on Government policy in relation to bio-energy policy. In order to make progress toward achieving the binding target, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is currently considering whether the biofuel obligation should increase from the current rate of 6% per volume. In Ireland, 59% of the biofuels placed on the market in 2014 derived from waste material such as used cooking oil and tallow. Production of biofuels from these materials poses no risk of indirect land-use change.

The Government shares concerns that biofuel production and its use, unless properly regulated, may not deliver required greenhouse gas savings and could impact negatively on food production and on food prices.

During discussions on the European Commission's proposal to address the risk of indirect land-use change, Ireland argued for a restriction on biofuels with a risk of indirect land-use change effects and for incentives to encourage the development of advanced biofuels that do not affect food production. Agreement was reached at European level earlier this year. EU Directive 2015/1513 limits the share of energy from biofuels produced from food crops to no more than 7% of the final consumption of energy in the transport sector in Member States by 2020.

Officials in my Departments are in dialogue with officials in the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on the question of biofuels and their potential impact on food security in developing countries.