Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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119. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that wood pellets are being imported from Australia; his views on the carbon footprint involved in importing such products over such a distance; the level of the importation of such alternatives; his views on the way this is compatible with environmental policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13076/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, equivalent to a 51% reduction over the decade, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. A key aspect of delivering on this ambition will be enacting the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill, which will underpin the on-going development of policies and measures.  If Ireland is to meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments, it is essential that we continue to drive the diversification of our energy mix away from fossil fuels.  The requirement to diversify energy supply must be balanced with the need to secure indigenous supply and the carbon footprint associated with importing fuels. 

In this context, Ireland operates within the framework of European Union legislation. The EU has recently revised the Renewable Energy Directive to include strict criteria in relation to the sustainability of biomass fuels. These criteria are due to be transposed into national legislation later this year.

While my Department does not gather data in relation to the import of wood pellets, the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) has been developed to financially support and stimulate the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users.  The SSRH, which is operated by the SEAI, provides an operational support for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion heating systems.  Eligible renewable energy technologies are supported through a multi-annual payment, for a period of up to 15 years, on the basis of prescribed tariffs.  The National Development Plan sets out an allocation of €300 million for the roll-out of the scheme for the period up to 2027.  The introduction of these schemes provides an indirect stimulus to the indigenous wood pellet industry.

More broadly, the 2019 Climate Action Plan included a number of commitments to support the use of biomass to increase the level of renewable energy in the heat sector and, in the context of forestry policy, to seek to bridge the short term supply gap in indigenous biomass. Actions to further stimulate the promotion of the domestic biomass supply chain, as part of the overall development of a new strategy for the forestry sector, will form part of 2021 Climate Action Plan.