Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 March 2023
153. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding pricing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10743/23]
View answerIn order to reduce the carbon footprint of domestic heating, the National Heat Study, published in February 2022, found that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for domestic heating systems, with district heating also identified as a competitive option that can be widely deployed. These approaches are being actively prioritised by Government.
To facilitate the use of these technologies in the decarbonisation and overall energy use needs of our building stock, the Government has established a Heat and Built Environment Delivery Taskforce and will publish a new National Policy Statement on Heat to guide the Government’s overall response to the National Heat Study across all sectors.
While, as Minister, I have no function in the setting of retail prices for wood pellets, we will continue to examine the need for policies to increase the use of wood and wood products in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The Government’s vision for the bioeconomy is to grow Ireland’s ambition to be a global leader through a coordinated approach that harnesses Ireland’s natural resources and competitive advantage, and that fully develops the opportunities available, while monitoring and avoiding unintended consequences. A Bioeconomy Action Plan is currently under development and will be published in the coming months, representing a key step in achieving the vision outlined in the National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy. Our Climate Action Plan has acknowledged the need for the solid biomass resource capacity to double in the next decade, along with the need to support the mobilisation of timber for utilisation in, among other areas, the biomass sector.
