Greens call for State cars to use bio-fuels

The state cars of Government ministers should be converted to run on bio-fuels to save the environment, it was claimed today.

The Green Party today staged a protest outside Government Buildings to highlight this call and the Government's lack of support for the bio-fuel industry in general.

Some of the fleet of state cars which, say the Green Party, would have much less carbon dioxide emissions if they switched to bio-diesel

Members of the party arrived at Merrion Square this afternoon in a personalised bio-diesel car emblazoned with slogans calling on the State to lead by example and immediately convert the ministerial fleet.

The party claimed the fleet of Mercedes vehicles would have much less carbon dioxide emissions if they switched to bio-diesel.

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey this week unveiled plans to offer €3 million in excise relief per year for renewable transport fuels. The exemption will cover 12 million litres of vegetable oil,  two million litres of bio-diesel and two million litres of bio-ethanol.

But Greens' energy spokesman Eamon Ryan said the Government needed to do more for the sustainable bio-energy industry and condemned the Government's efforts as "risible".

"The Government's inadequate support for the fledgling bio-fuel industry is unacceptable when it has become more urgent than ever to respond to Ireland's over-dependence on fossil fuels amid ever-escalating energy costs," he said.

Green Party deputy leader Councillor Mary White called on the Government to lift the excise duty and claimed that the use of bio-fuels could be "the way forward for Irish agriculture".

"Now is the time for action to ensure that the threatened sugar industry is turned into a thriving bioethanol industry providing work, employment and cleaner fuel. Farmers have the expertise and the willingness to be at the cutting edge of this dynamic new industry," she added.

Germany, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic have already introduced 100% excise duty relief for biofuels.