Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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260. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will accept the need for greater transparency in fuel supply chains, including more stringent tracking of fuel blending processes, to prevent excessive fatty acid methyl esters above 7% by volume and the need to set a maximum limit on tallow content in diesel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9350/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has committed to transitioning to a low carbon society and economy as part of the wider European goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The transport sector has a significant role to play in this transition. Reducing a historic reliance of imported fossil fuel in transport and switching to alternative fuels and technologies will be essential to decarbonise the sector.

The Climate Action Plan biofuels target is delivered through annual increases in the statutory renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) on fuel suppliers requiring a minimum proportion of renewable transport fuel supply.

My Department is currently updating the Renewable Transport Fuel Policy for the period 2025-2027, which will include a revised trajectory of RTFO blending rates responding to 2030 targets under the Climate Action Plan and European Renewable Energy Directive. The draft policy will be published for consultation later this year.

Obligated parties have a range of options to meet the RTFO rate, i.e. ethanol in petrol, biodiesel or HVO in diesel, etc. Obligated parties are awarded RTFO certificates for each megajoule of renewable fuel they place on the market and depending on the raw materials used to produce the fuels. The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) administers the RTFO and maintains records of all RTFO certificates issued.

A breakdown of the renewable fuel feedstocks reported by suppliers each year is provided in the NORA Annual Report. While the supply of renewable fuel as a proportion of total fuel supply in transport will increase each year in line with annual planned increases in the RTFO rate, the maximum 7% percentage fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesel that can be blended in diesel is set at a European level under the Fuel Quality Directive. Tallow is a primary feedstock for FAME.

Following amendments to the Fuel Quality Directive in 2023 a maximum FAME content of 10% will be permissible, subject to a protection grade of 7% also being maintained with due regard to compatibility of some vehicle types. There are some compatibility considerations with the higher B10 diesel, which could impact vehicle operation in the winter period for older vehicle models.

The Fuel Quality Directive is transposed by the European Communities Act, 1972 (Environmental Specifications for Petrol, Diesel Fuels and Gas Oils for use by non-road mobile machinery, including inland waterway vessels, agricultural and forestry tractors, and recreational craft) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 155 of 2011).

Under these Regulations, a person shall not market diesel fuel in the State unless it complies with the environmental specifications set out in the Directive, which includes the maximum blend of biodiesel permissible, and that fuel suppliers must provide information to consumers concerning the biofuel blend of diesel fuels.

The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications is transposing amendments to the Fuel Quality Directive. There are no plans at present in Ireland to remove the 7% maximum biodiesel blend in diesel.