John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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193. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to advise on his Department’s approach to the Programme for Government commitment to “consider the use of sustainable biofuels to reduce emissions from existing home boilers where deep retrofits are not possible in the short term”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36235/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, recommended that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for heating systems in decarbonising buildings, with district heating also being an option that can be widely deployed. However, the Heat Study also recognised the potential role for sustainable bioenergy for buildings that require alternative routes to decarbonisation, and that is being considered as part of a suite of measures to decarbonise heat.

The Programme for Government commits to targeting older homes still using oil to switch to renewable heating systems and to consider the use of sustainable biofuels to reduce emissions from existing home boilers where deep retrofits are not possible in the short term. These commitments are framing the work underway to develop a Heat Policy Statement and the Roadmap to Phase Out Fossil Fuel heating systems.

My Department is also working on the introduction of a Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) for the heat sector. Under current proposals, the RHO will obligate suppliers of all fossil fuels used for heating purposes to ensure a proportion of the energy they supply is renewable. As such, all renewable fuels, including bioliquids used for heat that satisfy the sustainability criteria of the Renewable Energy Directive will be considered eligible for certification under the scheme. My Department is now preparing the RHO Heads of Bill for submission to Government shortly. Once approved by Government, drafting RHO primary legislation will commence.

Furthermore, a Heat Policy Statement will set out Ireland's overarching approach to decarbonising the heat sector. A draft statement, informed by the findings of the National Heat Study, has been prepared by my Department and has undergone extensive consultation with other Government Departments and Agencies. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Report is being completed, and a public consultation on the SEA Report and the draft Heat Policy Statement will be undertaken shortly. Following completion of the consultation process, my Department will submit the draft Heat Policy Statement to Government for approval and publication.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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194. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to advise on his Department’s position on both the use of HVO for fuel home heating systems and the Programme for Government commitment to “improve traceability in HVO procurement to ensure the product is from sustainable sources”; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36236/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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HVO is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy and which, in a transport context, is classified as a biofuel. HVO is currently available for consumers to purchase for use for both transport and heating.

The Programme for Government commits to targeting older homes still using oil to switch to renewable heating systems and to consider the use of sustainable biofuels to reduce emissions from existing home boilers where deep retrofits are not possible in the short term. These commitments are framing the work underway to develop a Heat Policy Statement and the Roadmap to Phase Out Fossil Fuel heating systems.

As part of the Government Decision (S180/20/10/2704) adopting sectoral emissions ceilings, it was agreed to introduce a Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) to ensure the increased use of renewable fuel types across the full heating sector, with the primary aim of supporting the achievement of Ireland's heating and cooling targets at EU level. Under current proposals, the RHO will obligate suppliers of all fossil fuels used for heating purposes to ensure a proportion of the energy they supply is renewable. As such, all renewable fuels, including bioliquids used for heat that satisfy the sustainability criteria of the Renewable Energy Directive, will be considered eligible for certification under the scheme.

An Expert Group on Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels has been set up by the Directorate-General for Energy in the EU Commission to create a Union Database to monitor and trace the raw materials used for low carbon fuel production. Representatives from my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland participate in the Group.