Vol. 526 No. 5
70 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance the tax incentives and other such supports available to encourage the development of bio-fuel projects here; the availability of such incentives in the past and the success of same; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27084/00]
I wish to inform the Deputy that section 116 of the Finance Act, 1995 provided, subject to certain conditions, for the remission or repayment of excise duty in respect of bio-fuel projects which were designed to manufacture or produce bio-fuel or to test the technical viability of bio-fuel for use as a motor fuel.
Overall, despite several inquiries, little interest was shown in the provisions of that section, which lapsed on 31 December 1998. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that only one application was ever authorised by that office under the terms of that section.
In that particular case, a local authority was authorised to import substitute motor fuel under full remission of excise duty in a pilot project designated under the Altener Programme.
