John Paul O'Shea
Question:6. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when the biomethane sustainability charter will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10916/26]
View answerWednesday, 11 February 2026
Questions (6, 7, 8)
John Paul O'Shea
Question:7. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when the communications strategy as part of the National Biomethane Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10917/26]
View answerJohn Paul O'Shea
Question:8. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when the online information hub as part of the National Biomethane Strategy will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10918/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7 and 8 together.
Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane per annum 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.
The Biomethane Implementation Group has been established to oversee implementation of the National Biomethane Strategy and the associated delivery of the 25 key strategic actions to ensure the necessary infrastructure and supports are in place to underpin development of an indigenous biomethane industry of scale.
Chaired by my Department, with close support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Group reports directly to the Heat and Built Environment Taskforce on on-going progress and is comprised of a number of focused sub-groups namely - Infrastructure; Sustainability; Industry; and Economic Issues. Membership of the Group includes key Government Departments and Agencies, and sectoral representatives.
A priority action within the Strategy is the development of the Biomethane Environmental Sustainability Charter. The Charter is now finalised and is published on the biomethane policy information page on the Gov.ie website.
Sustainability is a key pillar of the National Biomethane Strategy, with an emphasis on ensuring development of the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry in an environmentally sustainable manner, achieving high standards for the protection of water, soil, biodiversity and the local ecosystem.
The Charter sets out best practices guidelines to maximise the benefits of AD, while minimising its environmental impact on land use, water quality, and biodiversity, as well as ensuring a high health and safety standard within the sector
The Group continues to engage with action owners and key stakeholders to monitor implementation, and a full progress report on delivery of actions within the National Biomethane Strategy is now published on the biomethane policy information page on Gov.ie website.
Finally, although AD a is very well-established technology in Europe with over 20,000 plants in operation, it is a relatively new and unknown technology in Ireland. As such, my Department is committed to offering information and support to address concerns, foster the sharing of information, and promote transparency around AD developments and the part they play in decarbonisation.
The online information hub website is now live and will be continuously updated and expanded with relevant information. It is available at the following link on Gov.ie www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/policy-information/biomethane/
Question No. 7 answered with Question No. 6.
Question No. 8 answered with Question No. 6.