105. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of times the biomethane implementation group has met; when the group is next to report to his Department; when the biomethane sustainability charter will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30331/25]

Sentiment score: 0.12

Residents in areas where anaerobic digesters have been proposed have been raising concerns about the suitability of the infrastructure in the area. They have been pointing out, for example, the absence of planning guidelines. When will the biomethane implementation group publish its charter and set out guidelines to clarify the situation for community groups, local authorities and promoters of such projects?

Sentiment score: 0.00

The implementation group was established last year and tasked with drawing up the guidelines and the charter. We know that the various stakeholder groups are going to find a way to have an input into that charter. Where do community groups stand? What level of engagement has there been with various different community groups? What opportunity have they had to have their voices heard at the table? To what extent has there been engagement with local communities, particularly in areas where these plants are already being proposed?

Sentiment score: 0.22

Residents in the areas where anaerobic digestion plants are proposed have raised concerns about the digestate, for example, and whether it would be grass based or municipal waste. Would the charter and guidelines set out and specify that? How would we monitor that? Would the charter have teeth in order to be able to back that up and enforce it? Will the guidelines set out land usage policy, whether areas around a facility would remain in farming or steered towards grass production for the anaerobic digesters? In the absence of guidelines, plans have been advancing in various different areas and in some cases, projects are already in place while others are moving through the process. Will the guidelines, when they are available, apply to existing plants and ones that are going through the process now?

Sentiment score: -0.06