Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will comment on reports that Bord na Móna have imported wood chips from Brazil for use in its power station in Edenderry. [20861/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Operation of Edenderry Power Plant is a matter for Board and management of Bord na Móna and not one in which I as Minster have any function.

As part of its Brown to Green Strategy, Bord na Móna is now fully focused on renewable energy generation, recycling, peatlands restoration, biodiversity and the development of new low carbon enterprises. It will continue expanding its sustainable project portfolio to support Ireland to achieve its renewable energy requirements by 2030, and its net zero emissions by 2050.

The Edenderry Power Plant will be 100% biomass-fuelled by 2024. A combination of biomass materials is required to produce the correct fuel mix for power generation. In order to achieve the necessary biomass mix to fuel the Edenderry Plant, Bord na Móna sources sustainable residual material predominantly from indigenous suppliers, and the remainder, which cannot be sourced locally due to volume and suitability constraints, is supplemented with material sourced internationally .