Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 April 2025
243. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the biomethane sustainability charter will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18662/25]
View answer244. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the communications strategy as part of the National Biomethane Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18663/25]
View answer245. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the online information hub as part of the National Biomethane Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18664/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 244 and 245 together.
A priority deliverable under the National Biomethane Strategy is the development of a Biomethane Sustainability Charter. The charter is currently in its final stages of development in consultation with other Government Departments, State Agencies, and key societal stakeholders. It will set out best practice guidelines: to maximise the benefits of anaerobic digestion, while minimising its environmental impact on land use, water quality and biodiversity; and to ensure a high health and safety standard within the sector.
A fundamental objective of the Biomethane Implementation Group, which reports into the Heat and Built Environment Delivery Taskforce, is to ensure the development of an agri-led biomethane industry of scale, and to protect against any unintended, or negative consequences of biomethane production. The Biomethane Implementation Group will review the final draft of the Biomethane Sustainability Charter before seeking approval for its publication.
Government understands that biomethane production and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants are considered a new form of technology in Ireland, and my Department is committed to engaging with communities to offer information and support in relation to the development of this nascent industry.
Action 5c of the National Biomethane Strategy looks to address this with the development of a Communications Strategy to engage and inform stakeholders of the benefits of AD and biomethane production. This directly relates to Action 5d which commits to the development of an online information hub which will provide the necessary resources for both developers and members of the community. The Biomethane Implementation Group has responsibility for overseeing the progress and delivery of these actions, with a comprehensive update report on same due to be published shortly.
Action 5d of the National Biomethane Strategy commits to the development of an online Information Hub, containing informational resources for those interested in AD development . The hub will provide a transparent overview of AD’s potential and impact from both a developer and a community standpoint. Information in relation to the planning, licencing and development processes will be collated from key stakeholders, and updated accordingly as implementation of the strategy progresses. My Department is currently in the process of designing the hub and it is expected to be made available on Gov.ie in Q3 2025.
