Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he supports the development of bio-diesel, bio-ethanol continues and other bio-fuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16645/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that at least 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland aims to meet this target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels with electric vehicles also making a small contribution. In 2015, 5.7% of our energy needs in the transport sector were met from renewable sources.

The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means through which Ireland would meet the transport target and is the principal support for the uptake of biofuels in Ireland.  The scheme works by obligating road transport fuel suppliers to bring increasing amounts of biofuel to the transport fuel market. Currently, the obligation rate is set at 6% by volume and will increase to 8% from 2017.  The question of further increases to the biofuels obligation rate on a phased basis will be considered in due course.  The Biofuels Obligation Scheme has seen increased amounts of biofuel used in Ireland and, in 2015, over 184 million litres of biofuels were placed on the Irish transport fuel market, of which over 15% was produced indigenously.