John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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286. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of submissions made on the recent statutory consultation in relation to the exclusion of palm oil mill-effluent from the award of additional renewable transport fuel obligation certificates, when the said submissions will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28766/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recently undertook a public consultation concerning the award of additional certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, provided for by the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007 (Additional Certificates for Renewable Transport Fuel) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 143 of 2023) incentivising supply of certain renewable fuels supporting delivery of EU renewable energy and Climate Action Plan targets.

In light of analysis carried out by the National Oil Reserves Agency outlining concerns in relation to the sustainability of POME-derived biofuel, and until such time as more comprehensive examination and action can be taken at an EU-wide level, the proposed regulations will exclude POME-derived biofuel from the award of additional RTFO certificates. The draft regulations were published for consultation on 17 April. This consultation closed on 16 May 2025, having received 5 submissions.

Following consideration of the responses to the consultation, these submissions will be published on my Department’s website along with the final regulations towards the end of Q2 2025.