THE GOVERNMENT'S revised biofuels obligation of 3 per cent of all transport fuel by 2010 was yesterday welcomed by the Labour Party.
The party's spokeswoman on energy Liz McManus said that the new target - which has almost halved the target set only 19 months ago - recognised that biofuels can have a very negative impact on parts of the developing world.
"The Labour Party raised this issue in July, putting pressure on the Government to respond to the increase in food prices and the impact on world hunger that can result from the proliferation of biofuels, a growing scandal internationally.
"We also want to insure that there is a strong biofuels industry in Ireland, based on the use of second-generation biofuels and fuels that do not replace food.
"We look forward to the results of consultation being published and the Government adopting a proactive approach in the area of biofuels."
The new obligations proposals were announced by Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan yesterday in the light of evidence which suggests they have driven up world food prices and have led to incursions into rainforests.
However, Mr Ryan said the Government was still committed to achieving the long-term target of a 10 per cent biofuels mix in all transport fuels by 2020.
He said this was predicated on the belief that second-generation biofuels that do not compete with food crops could be commercially produced by that time.
