Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plan for the development of the indigenous energy sector, with specific reference to meeting the future needs of industry and the domestic market, and carbon reducing targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21544/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Programme for Government sets out that Ireland’s long-term interests are best supported by further decreasing our dependence on foreign fossil fuels through the continued development of indigenous renewable energy.This is underpinned by the Energy White Paper which sets out a long-term vision and a framework to guide Irish energy policy up to 2030 including a range of actions to support the indigenous energy sector.

A new support scheme for renewable electricity is being developed which will incentivise the further development of Ireland’s renewable energy resources.

In the heating sector, a new Renewable Heat Incentive will be introduced to support the deployment of renewable energy for commercial and industrial users of heat in the non-Emissions Trading Sector.

Bioenergy encompasses a range of fuels including forest-based biomass, dry agricultural residues, energy crops, wastes, landfill gas and other biogases. A Draft Bioenergy Plan was published in December 2014 and Strategic Environmental Assessment is currently underway with a final Bioenergy Plan due to be published later this year.

As acknowledged in the Energy White Paper, oil and natural gas will remain significant elements of Ireland’s energy supply in the course of the transition. In this context, the development of Ireland’s indigenous oil and gas resources has the potential to deliver significant and sustained benefits, particularly in terms of enhanced security of supply, import substitution, fiscal return, national and local economic development and technology learning.