The Irish Government has approved the publication of a national Bioenergy Plan.

The plan will contribute to Ireland's future energy needs and has the potential to provide economic and environmental benefits.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resource, Pat Rabitte, TD said: "Our available resource – derived from forests, energy crops, animal by-products, and waste – can rapidly increase through policies and actions across energy, forestry, agriculture, waste, and research, development and deployment. The Bioenergy Plan will provide a mechanism to inform and coordinate policy and implementation across these policy areas."

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The Bioenergy Plan consists of two sections. Section 1 sets out the broader context for the development of Ireland's bioenergy sector, and the current state of play with regard to the range of policy areas that must be coordinated in order to create the conditions necessary to support the development of this sector.

There are a wide range of Government departments, agencies and State bodies that are critical enablers for bioenergy development by virtue of their responsibility for areas such as forestry, agriculture, waste, research funding and business development.

Section 2 of the plan goes on to identify the next steps that must be taken to support the sustainable realisation of the economic potential of Ireland's bioenergy resources.

(CD/JP)