Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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259. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals for developing the bioenergy sector and for promoting the use of electric motor cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16640/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. The Government has adopted a range of support measures designed to meet our binding target, and although good progress towards our target has been made to date, meeting the 16% target remains challenging. Provisional data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) indicates we had reached 9.2% of the overall 16% target at the end of 2015.  

The potential of the bioenergy sector to make a significant contribution in this regard is well recognised. My Department is in the process of finalising a bioenergy plan to capture this potential through the development and introduction of measures to encourage the growth of Ireland’s biomass and bioenergy sectors.

In relation to Electric Vehicles (EVs), the Electric Vehicle grant support scheme, introduced in April 2011, provides supports of up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new EV.  Electric vehicles are also exempt from Vehicle Registration Tax of up to €5,000 and, where technically feasible, customers who qualify for the grant also qualify for a free domestic charge point installed by the ESB.  To date, grant support has been provided for the purchase of 1438 new vehicles. In addition, work is underway to establish a  task force, as set out in the Programme for Government, involving relevant government departments, agencies, industry and representative groups, to further examine the potential for the take-up of electric and other low emission vehicles.