Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

708. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the development of the National Biomethane Strategy; the progress to date; if a revised timelines exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7692/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the deputy may be aware, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine alongside the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) co-published an Agri Centric, farmer led National Biomethane Strategy in May of 2024. This was Ireland’s first major policy statement on biomethane and is an important milestone in the development of an indigenous sector. Strategy development was guided by a working group which was chaired by my department with input from industry through a public consultation.

A Biomethane Implementation Group has been formed and will underpin the delivery of the 25 associated actions of the strategy. This group is being chaired by DECC who are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the strategy.

My department is a lead owner of a number of actions within the Biomethane strategy and a number of these important actions have been delivered, and strong progress has made on the remaining actions. A key action that my department delivered was the opening of the first competitive grant funding call last August, with approval letters issued in September. This Biomethane Capital Grant Scheme has seen funding in excess of €40 million awarded to Biomethane developers, which will contribute to meeting our Climate Action Plan production target of 1TWh of Biomethane by 2025.