Energy Infrastructure
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Frankie Feighan (FG), Sligo-Leitrim

I thank Deputy Moynihan. The Government has committed to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane per annum by 2030. Delivery of this target and the use of biomethane within our energy system will have multiple cross-sectoral benefits for Ireland’s economy, energy security and emissions profile. In response to this ambitious target, the Department, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, published the national biomethane strategy in May 2024. Implementation of the national biomethane strategy is an ongoing process of collaboration across key Departments and agencies. The biomethane implementation group has been established to oversee implementation of the strategy and delivery of the 25 key strategic actions to ensure the necessary infrastructure and supports are in place to support development of an indigenous biomethane industry of scale. While anaerobic digesters, ADs, used to produce biogas and biomethane can bring significant benefits to the communities and local environment in which they are located, they are also significant infrastructure, with impacts on the environment, biospheres, and local communities.
Although a very well-established technology in Europe with over 20,000 plants in operation, the AD sector in Ireland has been relatively small to date. However, there is a robust existing regulatory framework in place to underpin the further development of the AD industry in Ireland and harness the benefits of biomethane. For example, plants involved in anaerobic digestion of animal by-products or derived products must be approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Depending on the plant's activity, various licences are required from the Environmental Protection Agency. On-site health and safety is regulated by the Health and Safety Authority and the plant's connection to the gas network is regulated through the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and Gas Networks Ireland's procedures and standards. The Department is currently developing a licence, permit and regulation requirement document for biomethane plant development. It is expected that this document will be published shortly on the biomethane policy information page on gov.ie .
We need to ensure a clearer understanding of AD technology and consistency of approach by our planning authorities when they are assessing AD projects to improve our planning and permitting processes. AD and other integrated assets are required to undergo a full planning process to ensure proper consideration of a range of factors, including location, visual impact, land zoning plans and ecology. Guidelines and requirements for these are currently set out through several Acts, policy documents, spatial strategies, and development plans. Projects above a certain threshold are also required to complete an environmental impact assessment.
Priority deliverables under the strategy include action 5g on guidance. A biomethane implementation subgroup has recently been established to oversee the preparation of a support document to assist local representatives and planning authorities when assessing planning applications for biomethane plants. It is expected the support document will be finalised early in 2026. This document will be developed by the biomethane implementation group, chaired by the Department and in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Teagasc, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09