I welcome the Minister for Justice, Deputy O'Callaghan back to the House. We could give him the title of honorary Senator he has been here so many times this week. The first Commencement matter is from Senator Maria McCormack.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Crime Prevention
I am delighted the Minister is back in this House. I am deeply troubled by what I am witnessing in our community in Laois and surrounding counties. I am not alone in this concern. Over the past week, I have received numerous calls from frightened and frustrated residents who feel like prisoners in their own homes, living in fear of reckless behaviour and repeat offending. One constituent said to me that the State is absent when it is needed most.
This issue is all over our local media, including the Laois Nationalist. What has pushed this into the national spotlight is the extraordinary comments made by Judge Andrew Cody in Portlaoise District Court last week. He said, "The Government is failing to protect the citizens of the State." This is a damning verdict from one of our own judges, a judge, who, in fairness, has been forced to watch the same cohort of young offenders appear before him week after week, having committed crime after crime with no meaningful consequence, no available detention space and no sign of urgency from the Government. Judge Cody went further saying:
There is a core to this gang here in Portlaoise who continue to commit crimes without any fear of recrimination. They do so because they know the courts, the gardaí and society have been handcuffed, while they walk free.
These are children, some as young as 14, stealing cars, tearing through our streets, driving the wrong way down the M7, smashing up businesses, destroying public property and uploading it all on TikTok for clout. It is being glamorised. It is being encouraged and we are being humiliated. Judge Cody was clear. The Garda and the courts are doing their best but he said the ultimate sanction and deterrent of imprisonment has been taken away because Oberstown Children Detection Centre is full.
This week, gardaí arrived with a court order to place two of these teenagers in custody. They waited 25 minutes at the gate of Oberstown only to be told that it was full. They were handed a sealed letter and told to bring the teenagers back to the Garda station. What message does that send? What message does it send to the victims, the public and the perpetrators? We are witnessing the complete breakdown of a youth justice system, not due to the negligence of the Garda or the Judiciary but due to Government failure. There are simply no places left to put these young people in when they offend, and the crime continues. As Judge Cody said, these youths have done so in a shocking and dangerous manner without any regard for their own or anyone else's lives. The lesson being learned by these juveniles is that they can continue to commit crime without any consequences.
This just cannot go on. I am calling for immediate action, including the emergency expansion of Oberstown or the provision of temporary regional youth detention facilities; a full Government-led response to organised youth crime because that is on the increase, day in, day out, particularly the grooming and recruitment tactics of gangs targeting vulnerable children; proper resourcing for gardaí to respond to these escalating crimes, including youth-specific detention and intervention units; and investment in diversion and early intervention programmes, not after the tenth arrest but when the first warning signs emerge. This is not about locking children away and forgetting about them; this is about creating a system that deters dangerous behaviour, protects the public and offers real structured rehabilitation, not TikTok fame. We need action. We do not need apologies. We need beds, not sealed letters, and we need justice, not headlines.
I thank Senator McCormack for raising this matter. It is a great honour for me to be back in the Seanad and I hope to be here frequently. I wish to advise that, within my Department, I am delegating responsibility for youth crime to the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins. Notwithstanding that, it is an extremely important issue and I welcome the opportunity to respond to what the Senator has to say.
In terms of the judge's comments, it is important that people are fully aware of the penalties that can be imposed on children who are convicted of offences before the court. The Senator is correct in noting that the ultimate sanction is detention. However, under section 98 of the Children Act, other options are available to the courts, in particular sanctions that can be imposed upon parents or guardians. That is something that the courts need to look at more. You can find yourself in a situation, however, where a child is just not amenable to any sanction from a court or, indeed, his or her parents and where it is regrettably appropriate for the child to be detained.
The Senator is correct in what she said about Oberstown but it is not completely full. Five or six spaces are kept available for girl offenders as opposed to boy offenders. An indication of the difference between offending between sexes is that the spaces for girl offenders generally are not occupied. The boy offender sections are full.
I am extremely concerned about this matter and, because of that, I had a meeting last week with the Minister for children, Deputy Foley. We discussed what could be done to increase capacity at Oberstown. She will reflect on that to see what can be done. Obviously, some individuals can be released from Oberstown, thereby providing spaces. However, I am fully aware that unless there is the prospect of a custodial sanction being imposed, in the infrequent occasion that it is necessary, then the courts and the Garda can find themselves in a situation with juvenile delinquents where there appears to be no sanction in respect of it.
There are other options available to try to stop children continuing on the pathway of criminality. We are doing a disservice to children unless we try to correct their behaviour at that stage. If a child is involved in criminal behaviour at the age of 15, 16 or 17 years, then there is a strong likelihood that, by the time he or she gets to 18, that individual will be continuing with that behaviour and finally find himself or herself in prison immediately. There is a responsibility on us to try to divert children. That is why the youth diversion programme is useful. As the Senator will know, the youth diversion programme operates in Laois. We have 93 youth diversion programmes, with two operating in Laois. They are the Acorn project, which is operated by Youth Work Ireland Midlands, and LOOP which is operated by Foróige.
It is a complicated issue, as the Senator will appreciate, to know what to do with children who break criminal law. However, we need to focus more on the interests of the community and individuals who are the victims of that criminal behaviour. It is not much comfort to them to know that the offender is under 18 years of age.
I am looking at Oberstown. I have discussed it with the Minister, Deputy Foley. We need to provide more spaces. Since our population is increasing, we are inevitably going to need more spaces in prison and youth detention centres. That is incompatible with another ambition and policy I have, that being, to try to make community sanctions available for the purpose of a penalty being imposed.
I thank the Minister and appreciate that he gives a thorough response every time he is here. I agree that we need to consider diversion and engage better with the youth diversion services but the issue of youth crime reached crisis point in Laois this week when there was no option and people felt that the youths got away free. There was no deterrent, leading to uproar in the community because so much car theft and other criminality was going on under our noses.
There is work to be done. I am delighted that the Minister is looking at Oberstown to see how we can move forward on this. I hope that lots of investment and time are put into people at a young age to deter them from crime.
It is important that the Judiciary is aware of the options available under section 98 of the Children Act 2001. There are more options available other than simply a custodial sentence. I agree with the Senator that, on occasion, a custodial sentence is appropriate but the imposition of a sanction on the parent or guardian, or the imposition of an order requiring the parent or a guardian to be bound over, can also have an impact. These are sanctions that need to be given consideration.
I am aware of the issues that are of concern to the Senator and An Garda Síochána. I will continue to engage with the Minister, Deputy Foley, in respect of Oberstown. There is limited space there and, as the population increases, we are regrettably finding ourselves having to deal with more delinquent children. We are doing them a disservice unless we try to divert them and, regrettably, a custodial sanction is necessary on some occasions.
I welcome the children from sixth class in the Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School. Their visit is timely because we have present their local TD, namely, the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan. It is great to see young people here and I hope they enjoy their day in the Oireachtas.
Electronic Tagging
I, too, welcome the children from the school and I hope they have an enjoyable day.
I welcome the Minister back to the House. Like Senator McCormack, I compliment him on his commitment to attending this House. He is setting an example that I hope many of his colleagues will follow.
Without doubt, the Minister has inherited a very busy portfolio and there are many issues on his desk that need immediate attention. I will discuss one that he mentioned in his previous contribution, namely, prison overcrowding. The latest figures show that there are currently 5,348 inmates in Irish prisons, which only have a capacity for 4,666 prisoners. There are also 398 mattresses on floors, while 566 inmates are on temporary release, 113 of whom are serving custodial sentences of six months or more. There is also the serious question of people being given sentences and travelling to prison only to be turned around in what is known as the revolving door system. This practice, as I am sure the Minister will agree, is concerning for the effect that it has on the justice system and the perception of justice in this country among the gardaí, the courts and the general public.
The increase in the prison population has resulted in a large number of prisoners sleeping on mattresses on floors and on the necessary redeployment of staff to landings for safety reasons, thus diverting staff from facilitating educational and rehabilitative services. Not only does overcrowding lead to an increased risk of violence for prisoners, but it also threatens the health and safety of prison officers. Ultimately, there is an increased risk of reoffending and an increased threat to public safety in general. Since the report by the prison overcrowding response group was submitted, the prison population has continued to grow, hitting record numbers with certain prisons consistently experiencing overcrowding significantly beyond that.
The programme for Government commits to implementing electronic tagging for appropriate categories of offenders. I understand that work is under way on scoping out the practical operational considerations of such a move for relevant categories of offenders to inform the next steps. I would be grateful if the Minister could provide an update on where this work stands.
Many other jurisdictions have introduced electronic tagging but I understand that there are concerns. The tagging system currently used in the UK came under scrutiny recently following a BBC exposé on the breakdown of the system and the widescale abuse of prisoners participating in the early release system. I would be grateful if the Minister would outline his Department's plans to ensure that any such breaches of a new plan in Ireland will be dealt with by immediately returning the prisoner in question to prison and imposing other penalties.
I note that many, including the Minister's predecessor, the former Deputy Dermot Ahern, have said it is inevitable - I have heard the current Minister say it many times as well - that, with the increase in the population, we will need more prison places. Even with the best will in the world, though, it will take time to build prison places.
We need to come up with creative ideas and greater solutions that can address the problem. For example, electronic tagging can play a significant role in that. Also, as the Minister said, we need to make more use of community service for lesser offences to keep people from going to prison at the outset. We need to be creative with our solutions because, with the best will in the world, it is going to take years to build additional prison spaces. I look forward to the Minister's contribution.
I welcome those from Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School who are in the Gallery. They are a great school and it is great to see them in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Senator Gallagher raises an important issue. It is one of the most pressing issues that is facing me as the Minister for Justice. It relates to what is the overcrowding issue in our prisons. Since I have been made Minister for Justice, I have visited three prisons already. I have been to Cork Prison and Cloverhill Prison. I was in Shelton Abbey open prison on Monday past. As Senator Ryan knows, I am going to Limerick Prison on Monday. It is extremely important that, as Minister, I see what is actually happening in our prisons. Very many of the prisons are dominated by people who are excellent members of staff who are doing their best under difficult circumstances. I am not going to hide the fact we have an overcrowding problem within our prisons. It is my responsibility to try to fix it.
As Senator Gallagher identified, one of the mechanisms by which it can be fixed is through electronic tagging. When one thinks about it, we introduced the capacity for electronic tagging on our Statute Book back as long ago as 1997 in the Bail Act. We also refer to it in the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023 provides for electronic monitoring in certain circumstances. If we have these statutory provisions that state that electronic monitoring can be used, it is pretty surprising we do not have it available to us at this stage. Our neighbouring jurisdiction, Northern Ireland, has tagging. They do not have same resources that we have in this country on a per capita basis, so there is no real reason it has not been introduced to date.
In the next number of months, I intend to put out for public tender the contract to provide tags that can be used within the prison system and our criminal justice system. The benefit of that will be that we will not have to remand as many people in custody prior to their trial because, if they are electronically tagged, we can avoid any difficulty in respect of them absconding. It is a sanction that also can be imposed in respect of those who are convicted to supervise them after they either finish their term of imprisonment or indeed on a term of imprisonment. There are other solutions that are needed as well. I have proposals to try to ensure we get 1,100 new prison spaces in the next 18 months. I will be bringing a memorandum to Government in the near future in respect of that. We need to provide prison spaces in a fairly immediate mechanism. That will require me to try to cut through the red tape and, I hope, avoiding having to go through the public sector spending code. We need to get prison spaces available in the immediate future.
There is also the longer term plan in respect of building a new prison. That is something that will be necessary because of our rising population. However, I am not a person or Minister, and I do not believe we are a country, who thinks we are going to solve our criminal justice issues through the imposition of a greater number of prison sentences. We need to examine alternative options when it comes to sanctions. Prisons should be a place for dangerous people who have committed violent offences. I was in Shelton Abbey and there many individuals in the open prison who are doing extremely well. They are engaged in employment in the prison. They are living productive lives. There is also a sense of rehabilitation there. The function of prison is twofold. It is rehabilitation as well as punishment. We need to examine alternative penalties that can be imposed, such as community sanctions. In the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, I gave the opportunity and hope to be able to put into law an option for more community sanctions.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response. One thing I am very heartened by is the number of ideas he has to address this very serious issue. As he said, it is the most pressing issue on his desk currently. I am heartened by the manner in which he is tackling this and by the vigour, enthusiasm and sense of determination he is bringing to his portfolio. It is hugely impressive. I look forward to progress being made, not just with tagging. It is great to hear the supply of tagging equipment is going out to tender, which is very much welcome. However, the option to examine alternatives to people going to prison in the first place by community service and so on is something that needs to be explored. I am heartened by the Minister's response. I look forward to the much-needed progress in this area in the not-too-distant future.
I thank Senator Gallagher. I will provide a detailed update in respect to where we are. I am advised that work is under way involving representatives from the various agencies to prepare to operationalise electronic monitoring. This includes the consideration of technology, data protection, procurement, implementation and operating model design. The project will determine in what order the various legislative provisions should be commenced, having regard to the practical and operational considerations involved with each potential cohort. The important information from the Senator's point of view is that an initial roll-out of electronic monitoring is expected later this year following a procurement exercise to select a service provider. That is good news. It will mean there is another option available for the Judiciary and greater options for the Probation Service and Parole Board. It will have a positive impact on the overcrowding issue within prisons, but as part of the solution. It is not the complete solution.
I thank Senator Gallagher and the Minister. We in this House greatly appreciate the Minister coming to us directly as the lead in justice. I thank him for his time.
Local Government Reform
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to the House. On behalf of the House, I offer our condolences yet again to him on the loss of his sister. We know it is a difficult time for him and his family. Our thoughts are with him.
I wish to also be associated with the condolences on the very sad passing of the Minister of State's sister. I hope he is well and it is good to see him back. We are all thinking of him.
As the Minister of State is aware, a number of years ago there were new security allowances put in place for public representatives. This was in light of the change in society, the change in the workload for councillors and Oireachtas Members and essentially to make sure people could go about their day and do their job without fear of anything happening. We have seen instances in the UK but we have seen minor incidents in Ireland. As a Government and as politicians, we have an obligation to try to encourage people to get into public life. It is important to do that and part of that is making sure they are safe to be able to do their job.
Measures were put in place a number of years ago and they have not been ideal. One of the main reasons for it was that a councillor could pay for security for their home or for their office if they had one, but it was just a 50% rebate and there was a €5,000 limit. Take-up has not been as much as we would like it to have been, and similarly that was the case with Oireachtas Members. Before Christmas, there were changes made for Oireachtas Members, with the allowance being increased and, importantly, a 100% rebate on it.
Since this new Government has taken office, the Minister for State at the Department of local government, Deputy John Cummins, has been in this Chamber speaking on it and knows it is a priority. He has worked on it along with the Minister, Deputy James Browne. They have put a proposal together.
Senator Kyne and I met LAMA to discuss a range of issues, including pensions. This was one of the main issues up for discussion in terms of security for the 949 councillors across the country. In fairness to the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and the Minister, Deputy Browne, they have acted very quickly. A proposal has been put forward and now just needs to be sanctioned by the Department of public expenditure. I call on the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, to do this as quickly as possible. I know a number of councillors across the country, at the moment, who are looking to do work on their home or office or something in terms of security and protection. They are waiting because they want to see what the new scheme will be, whether it will be a higher amount and a 100% rebate and if it will be backdated to the start of the council term. These are all concerns that LAMA raised with Senator Kyne and me.
I raise this issue on behalf of all 17 Fine Gael Senators. It needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. We cannot have public representatives across the country waiting to do things that are a necessity simply because they do not know when the scheme will be signed off on. I would really appreciate getting some clarity on this today. In fairness, the Department of housing has acted very quickly on this and it just needs the Department of public expenditure to sign off on it. I do not see any reason it should not when it is about security and people's safety while carrying out their work. This needs to be signed off on. LAMA wrote to the Minister, Deputy Chambers, outlining the need for this to be finalised as quickly as possible. On behalf of LAMA and my fellow Fine Gael Senators, I ask that this be done as quickly as possible.
I thank Senators Boyhan and Ahearn for their kind words of condolence on the death of my sister. They are very much appreciated.
In fairness to Senator Ahearn, he has always been an advocate for councillors' needs across Ireland. We know how challenging it is being a councillor. Many councillors are now full time because of the seriousness of the work and the amount of work they have to do. Therefore, making allowances for security measures can be quite challenging in terms of the existing supports. Clearly there is a recognition that the scheme that was introduced is not enough. That is clear from the take-up of the scheme, which I will outline shortly. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, recognise that. We will get movement on this as soon as possible.
Local government plays an important role in the life of the nation. It is responsible for the delivery of a wide range of services. Elected councils provide a vital forum for the democratic representation of local communities. All elected representatives should be free to carry out their functions and representational role without fear of harassment or intimidation. Heightened adversarial attitudes to elected representatives are corrosive to democratic participation. They risk deterring potential new candidates and inducing existing representatives to withdraw from political life. The Senator touched on this when he mentioned encouraging new people in to politics. It is in this context that a security allowance for councillors was introduced in September 2023. Under the current scheme, elected members can claim a maximum of €2,500 or 50%, whichever is the lesser, of the cost of home-security measures that have been recommended in a report made by their local crime prevention officer.
In light of a recommendation in the report of the task force on safe participation in political life to review the security allowance for councillors, my Department surveyed the 31 local authorities to ascertain the uptake of the allowance by councillors, and to identify any obstacles to this. The findings are pretty stark, as the Senator alluded to. It showed that only 23 of the 949 councillors availed of the allowance in 2024. Challenges reported by local authorities in relation to the uptake and administration of the scheme included the requirement of councillors to meet half the costs of the works as well as, in some areas, delays in obtaining a report by a crime prevention officer. Engagement with the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and LAMA on this issue indicated that the biggest obstacles to the scheme’s uptake is the requirement of councillors to contribute 50% of the cost of the expenditure. They also indicated that the €2,500 maximum was insufficient to meet the needs of all councillors.
On foot of this review, my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, recently approved a business case for a revised allowance that reflects the feedback received. This was submitted by my Department to the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, whose approval is required for any revision to the scheme. Any revision to the allowance would also need to be introduced by the making of ministerial regulations under section 142 of the Local Government Act 2001, countersigned by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I understand that the business case is being considered by that Department and that there will be further engagement with my Department on this proposal shortly.
There is an urgency around this. The Senator will see in the response that there is also a small legislative requirement. I do not think that will be too burdensome or will slow the process too much. The Senator's point is well made. We need to encourage more people in to politics. There is, anecdotally at least, an increase in harassment incidents and safety concerns for councillors and local representatives. The Senator has always been an advocate on this issue. I will work with the relevant Ministers to make sure we get this measure introduced as soon as possible.
I thank the Minister of State. He is right that 23 councillors out of 949 applying for the scheme means that there is something wrong with it. This has been recognised by the Department of housing and it has acted quickly. The Minister of State noted that the business case is being considered by the Department of public expenditure. I acknowledge the importance of this. However, councillors would say that there was a business case put forward for Oireachtas Members before Christmas. That was reviewed and decided upon within 48 hours. If the Department of public expenditure can make the decision for Oireachtas Members in this building in 48 hours, we can certainly do it quicker than four weeks. The business case has been with the Department for the past four weeks. What we do not want is for it to go into or past the summer without a decision being made. I know the Minister recognises the urgency of it. The Government is aware of the importance of security. We cannot have a situation where we are able to sort out things for TDs and Senators in 48 hours but not for councillors.
I get the need for urgency. The fact that the Senator has raised the matter will further emphasise the urgency. I have been assured that in recent days officials from both Departments have been in touch on progressing this matter. Yes, it can and should be done quickly, and it is very important that it is. I stress that the option to avail of €2,500 is still open to councillors. If they do so, it does not preclude them from availing of further funds if the grant amount is increased under the new proposals. I cannot go into details on the proposal and what is being discussed, for obvious reasons, but we want to see something that is enhanced and that removes the obstacles that are evidenced by such a low uptake. We will come back as soon as we have any indication that progress has been made in this regard.
Renewable Energy Generation
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is good to see him again.
I thank the Minister of State for being here this morning. I want to speak on an issue of urgency and strategic importance, not just for our national climate goals but for rural communities across the country, particularly in my own county of Cork. In north-west Cork there is currently potential for the development of a biomethane plant in Kilvoultra, a rural community just outside Macroom. There is a clear and pressing need for the Minister for the environment to provide a firm commitment to publish national guidelines on the locations of biomethane plants, as part of the national biomethane strategy. Biomethane has enormous potential to be a cornerstone of Ireland's transition to a low-carbon economy. It is a renewable, home-grown energy source that helps us to cut greenhouse gas emissions and provides a productive for farm and food waste. Nowhere is this opportunity more relevant that in counties like Cork, with a strong and diverse agricultural sector, where farmers are looking for sustainable ways to future-proof their livelihoods.
As well as energy potential, there is potential for the use of the digestate as an organic fertiliser, which would be an alternative to mineral fertiliser use. This is an opportunity for our rural economy, environment and energy security but only if done correctly. Being done correctly has to be the guiding principle. There is no national guidance as to where biomethane plants should be located. This is leading to confusion, frustration and legitimate concern, particularly from communities living near proposed sites, many of which believe they are being left in the dark, particularly when consultation is at best lacking and at worst non-existent. We have already seen this tension emerge in Cork. In some areas, proposed locations have raised serious questions about road access, residential proximity and environmental impact. People are understandably worried about increased heavy traffic on rural roads that were never designed for such loads and about plants being sited far too close to homes. Regarding the proposal I mentioned in Kilvoultra, 200 residents are living within a 2-km radius of the proposed site.
The reality is that our local authorities are doing their best but county development plans vary significantly across the country when it comes to the location of biomethane plants. Cork County Council may take a more cautious or supportive approach than councils elsewhere but without national guidelines, there is a lack of consistency and co-ordination that risks undermining community confidence and industry investment. We cannot have a piecemeal approach. I am, therefore, calling on the Minister to urgently publish comprehensive national guidelines on the location of biomethane plants that consider proximity to homes, road and infrastructure capacity, environmental sustainability and alignment with local development plans. These guidelines must also reflect the needs and perspective of rural counties like Cork where there is significant potential for biomethane and biogas but also a need for balance, fairness and proper planning. If we want to unlock the potential of biomethane for our farmers, protect our communities and deliver on our climate commitments, we must give local authorities, developers and residents the clarity and guidance they need to move forward. We need to provide a clear national framework as to where these plants can and cannot be located and we need to get this right. It is vital for rural Ireland and for our shared environmental future.
I thank Senator Lynch for raising this important topic, which is particularly important for her constituency in Cork. It is an important issue. I recently attended the all-Ireland summit on the bioeconomy. This was a really important summit that brought together key industry partners, academia and those working in the bioeconomy, the biomethane sector and the circular economy. There was significant discussion around where we can improve our circularity and how the Government has committed to delivering up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030.
Delivery of this target and the use of biomethane in our energy system will have multiple cross-sectoral benefits for Ireland’s economy, energy security and emissions profile. I think Senator Lynch agrees with that initiative. A first step to realising this ambition was the publication of the national biomethane strategy. The previous Ministers for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Agriculture, Food and the Marine published this strategy in May 2024. Subsequently, we have seen the most recent publication of the national planning framework. This will set out our sectoral climate targets across many of the regions across Ireland and will enable regional assemblies to formally look at strategic sites and planning to deliver on this ambition.
The biomethane strategy sets out the necessary policy and regulatory measures and provides a roadmap to developing a biomethane industry of scale in Ireland. The development of the strategy focused on a framework of five interlinking pillars seen as critical to target delivery. They are sustainability, demand for biomethane, the bioeconomy and the circular economy, the economics of biomethane, and enabling policy requirements. Each pillar has been aligned with 25 key strategic actions. Each action looks to address the challenges and support the opportunities anaerobic digestion and biomethane production have to offer.
Although this is a very well established technology in Europe with over 20,000 plants in operation, biomethane production and anaerobic digestion, AD, plants are considered a new form of technology in Ireland. A clearer understanding of AD technology and consistency of approach by planning authorities when assessing AD projects will improve our planning and permitting processes. Priority deliverables under the strategy include the development of planning guidelines - I know this is one issue Senator Lynch wants to be raised - to support local authorities when assessing AD planning applications and a review of resourcing requirements of our key Government agencies to support development of the industry. These guidelines will be developed by the biomethane implementation group, which is chaired by my Department, in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage along with Teagasc and the SEAI.
I met recently with Gas Networks Ireland, GNI, which is committed to decarbonising our gas network by repurposing it to transport renewable gases - ultimately, hydrogen and biomethane. GNI has established a dedicated biomethane team. We are working through the guidelines in the biomethane implementation group. We have not yet published them but we will certainly work towards the objective of publishing them later this year.
I thank the Minister of State for such a comprehensive response. I really welcome the confirmation that these planning guidelines are in the ether. I would appreciate hearing if there is any particular timeline. I am very much in favour of biomethane and biogas. It is well established technology in mainland Europe but it is not necessarily something we have investigated here. It has many benefits from energy, climate and agricultural perspectives. If we want to meet out targets and introduce these plants around the country, it is important for us not to split communities and drive the public against these measures. It seems mad that when this national biomethane strategy was published 12 months ago, there was no reference to planning guidelines. This led to differences between country development plans and different local authorities and a lack of consultation with communities. I am not against biomethane and I recognise its importance but these guidelines need to be published and published soon so that we are not splitting communities and driving the public against these necessary measures.
Before I call the Minister of State, I welcome the students and my council colleague. They are very welcome here today. I hope they enjoy their stay. We are dealing with Commencement Matters - basically a number of topics submitted by Senators. Four are picked each day and four have been picked today, so we are at the conclusion of this section. This is an important part of the Seanad's deliberations where individual Senators raise topics of interest to them, their constituents or organisations with which they are involved.
Priority deliverables under the biomethane strategy include the development of planning guidelines. Many communities, not just that of the Senator's in Cork, deserve the right to engage in the planning process so that there is extensive consultation, they have oversight of any environmental assessments being undertaken and that in respect of this engagement between the local authority and the developer if it is private, there is a community dividend in terms of a community fund being established for these key infrastructural projects because they are significant and have an impact on the environment, the biosphere and local communities. Therefore, it is only correct that they require and undergo the full planning and permit process to ensure considerations in a range of areas and factors, including location, visual impact, land zoning plans and ecology, are factored in. I will work with the Senator to expedite these guidelines over the next number of months to ensure there is a centralised plan across the country.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 11.20 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 11.32 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 11.20 a.m. and resumed at 11.32 a.m.