Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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166. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if planning guidelines have been finalised in respect of the assessment of planning applications for the development of anaerobic digestors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68983/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the planning guidelines in place regarding the assessment of planning applications for the development of anaerobic digesters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68991/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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183. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 201 of 25 February 2025, the progress to date in developing planning guidelines to assist local authorities in the assessment of anaerobic digestion planning applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68982/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 166, 167 and 183 together.

Government has committed to deliver an ambitious target for indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. In response to this ambitious target, my Department, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, published the National Biomethane Strategy in May 2024.

Implementation of the National Biomethane Strategy is an on-going process of collaboration across key Government Departments and Agencies. The Biomethane Implementation Group has been established to oversee implementation of the strategy and delivery of the 25 key strategic actions to ensure the necessary infrastructure and supports are in place to support development of an indigenous biomethane industry of scale.

Anaerobic Digestion (AD), although a very well-established technology in Europe with over 20,000 plants in operation, has been relatively small sector in Ireland to date. However, there is a robust regulatory framework in place to underpin the further development of the AD industry in Ireland and harness the benefits of biomethane.

For example, plants involved in AD of animal by-products or derived products must be approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Depending on the plants activity various licences are required from the Environmental Protection Agency. Onsite health and safety is regulated by the Health and Safety Authority and the plants connection to the gas network is regulated through the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and Gas Networks Ireland’s procedures and standards.

It is the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who has responsibility for the overall development of national planning policy and legislation. However, AD and other integrated assets are required to undergo a planning process to ensure proper consideration of a range of factors including location, visual impact, land-zoning plans, and ecology. Guidelines and requirements for these are currently set out through several acts, policy documents, spatial strategies, and development plans. Projects above a certain threshold are also required to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Finally, a biomethane implementation sub-group has recently been established to oversee the preparation of a support document to assist local representatives and planning authorities when assessing planning applications for biomethane plants. It is expected the support document will be finalised early in 2026.