Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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255. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the implementation of the National Biomethane Strategy as it pertains to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25110/25]

Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent)
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257. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the Land Use Review; the direction is being given to local authorities for balanced, common-good and needs'-based planning in the areas of Renewable Energy production, social infrastructure and housing; the reason there a disproportionate concentration of renewable energy facilities in south east Meath over 2000 acres under planned for solar energy harnessing and gas-fired peaking power plant and make a statement on these issues. [30457/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering. It was led by the Environmental Protection Agency. The final report of the independently chaired Land Use Review Phase 2 Oversight Group was submitted to Myself, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Minister of State at Housing, Local Government and Heritage in May. We are currently reviewing it, before reporting to government. It is a substantial body of work based on extensive analysis, research and consultation over the last four years. While it is a review and not an articulation of government policy, it is seeking to inform and balance environmental, social, and economic considerations and includes potential land use options on both public and private lands.

Under the aegis of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce, officials from my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, are developing a supporting policy framework for Ireland’s electricity supply which will deliver a regional balance and distribution of renewable technologies, including solar PV and onshore wind.

As part of this approach, regional renewable electricity capacity allocations for solar PV and onshore wind have been included in the First Revision of the National Planning Framework, published in April 2025. The inclusion of these regional allocations is a critical step towards achieving Ireland’s national renewable electricity targets and will support a plan-led approach to the strategic planning of renewable technologies, facilitate the accelerated roll-out and delivery of renewable electricity infrastructure and deliver a fair regional balance and distribution of the associated infrastructure.