Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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455. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of concerns regarding the false certification of palm oil as waste vegetable oil which is contained in biofuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil sold on the Irish market; if he will consider ceasing recognition of biofuels which come from outside the EU where there is no supervision of the certification process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18065/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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It is essential that biofuel imports are required to meet the sustainability criteria under the EU Renewable Energy Directive for the purpose of environmental protection and emissions reduction, while ensuring that EU biofuel producers are not disadvantaged and promoting further development of advanced biofuel production within the EU.

I am aware of concerns with regard to the sustainability of biofuel produced from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), which are EU-wide and not specific to Ireland. My Department engages with the European Commission and Member States on an ongoing basis through the Committee on biofuel sustainability established under the Renewable Energy Directive. This Committee focuses on issues related to overall global supply of biofuels, including implementation of the Union Database for Biofuels, the sustainable certification and promotion of biofuels, and prevention of fraud cases. The regulatory framework of the RED includes certification of all biofuel supply under EU approved voluntary schemes and oversight by national competent authorities.

The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) is responsible for ensuring compliance by fuel suppliers with the EU sustainability criteria and requirements for renewable transport fuel placed on the market under the statutory Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). This compliance is assured through an EU sustainability certification framework, involving certification of economic operations globally (for feedstock collection, biofuel production, storage and supply) by certification bodies against standards established under EU approved Voluntary Schemes. The NORA provides ongoing assurance on the sustainability of the current supply of biofuel to Ireland under the RTFO.

Based upon its analysis, indicating concerns of possible biofuel fraud risk in global supply of POME, the NORA has recommended the removal of national incentives under the RTFO for POME-derived biofuel products. I have therefore approved the commencement of a statutory consultation process for draft regulations to exclude POME from the award of additional RTFO certificates, with the publication of draft regulations for consultation in the coming weeks.

The NORA has also recommended further steps that could be taken to limit the amount of POME derived biofuel supply into Ireland considering the concerns raised through its analysis. These options are being assessed by my Department within the current legal framework.