2025-12-09

Guidelines need to be put in place for the development of biogas plants and they need to be advanced as soon as possible. Community groups have raised a range of concerns with me about the development of biomethane gas plants in their locality. They have questions about whether land should be used for food production or energy crops. They also question whether guidelines could be established about the types of feedstocks used and how locally they need to be sourced. Setback distances are a point many communities are vocal on. If plants are near people’s residences, what impact will that have on their homes? They are also questioning the oversight of plant operators by bodies like the EPA and the council and whether they can enforce conditions in the event of non-compliance. I have had the opportunity to discuss with people around the Macroom area and people in many other communities across the country the various concerns they have about the development of biogas plants local to them. Through the agriculture committee, I have also had the opportunity to meet people who are planning and developing biogas plants. Both raise concerns about the absence of guidelines. Community groups feel that the developers are attempting to foist these plants on their communities against their will without any engagement. They try to force these plants through, promoting the green energy and the wider benefit. Community groups feel concerned that they are kept in the dark by developers. Community engagement is critical. A biomethane charter that was published recently acknowledges this. The recent charter is a big step, and I acknowledge the huge work that has been done to advance it. The charter points out that engaging with local communities early and often will be critical to ensure successful planning applications for biomethane plants and that plant operators must be responsible neighbours by taking into account the needs and concerns of the communities near them. The charter points to open, proactive and transparent community engagement to help foster positive relationships. We have seen where engagements are taking place such as in Galway, for example, and there are no objections to that one in a recent application. That, however, seems to be the exception. The approach in other communities could be a one-to-one series of meetings if there is anything at all happening. It contrasts very much with wind farm developers who over recent years have learned lessons from earlier applications and are more engaged than previously. Good guidelines ensure greater transparency and engagement. There is a gap in the planning process where perhaps it is for newer technology and the planning authorities may not be so familiar with the technology and the development plan may not have a defined policy on the matter. At the same time, the planning application has to advance through the planning process to meet statutory deadlines. I understand that considerable background work is being undertaken by the Minister of State's Department officials in advancing the guidelines. The publication of the biomethane charter is also a big milestone as is the publication of the biomethane strategy. These are significant and there is also a need for the next big milestone, which is the publication of the guidelines. If biomethane is to be part of the energy mix we need to see it happen in an orderly manner that ensures it benefits all and not just the developer. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, outline the plans and the timeframe by which he would expect to see biomethane guidelines being made available?

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.

Communities are concerned that biomethane development is going to happen in a disorderly way and that developers are going to walk over communities to make money. The communities need to know that the Minister of State has their back. Does the Government have the backs of the communities on this? They are worried. The Minister of State outlines where visual impact, land zoning plans, ecology and various other aspects are already covered in existing legislation and in existing policy documents. Yet, communities raise concerns about the absence of guidelines. Will there be guidelines that would be expected to cover site selection, the feedstock, the kind of feedstock and where it would come from, and the output material from the plants afterwards? Will applicants that are currently going through and going into planning applications be expected to meet any new guidelines or additional conditions that will be coming available later next year? Can the Minister of State outline those? These are real concerns for so many communities. Reading through the Minister of State's response it sounds like he is depending very much on what is already there rather than bringing new guidelines to the table, if I am reading that correctly. This would be a concern for many people who feel that there are gaps in the process as it stands.

I thank the Deputy for raising very valid and informed concerns. The Deputy talks about the absence of guidelines. The Government remains committed to the production of up to 5.7 TWh of biomethane, which is a little over 10% of our current natural gas, and the development of Ireland's anaerobic digestion of biomethane on an industrial scale. This will serve to diversify our sources of gas, improve our energy security and deliver the carbonisation options for Ireland to meet its 2030 climate and energy targets. Biomethane production can bring significant benefits to the communities and local environment in which the plants are located, including creating jobs and new revenue streams for farmers and other rural businesses. As was said, these are significant infrastructure and therefore are, correctly, required to undergo full planning and permitting processes to ensure consideration of a range of factors including location, the visual impact, land zoning plans, and ecology. A key priority is the development of guidelines to support our local authorities. When finalised, these will be made available on the biomethane information hub on gov.ie. Finally, it is my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage who has responsibility for the overall development of national planning policy and legislation. 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. As the Deputy will be aware, projects above a certain threshold are also required to complete an environmental impact assessment. Again, I thank the Deputy for raising his concerns. I will bring them to the Minister as soon as possible.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and I thank all Deputies. That concludes the Topical Issue Debate for today.