Planning permission has been granted for a new solar farm in Co Waterford.

The site in Kilcannon is one of 35 such farms planned by the renewable energy company Amerenco Solar.

In a statement, the company said it will start building the Waterford facility once the Government establishes renewable tariffs for 2016, following this week's publication of the White Paper on Energy.

Ireland will use no fossil fuels by the end of the century, according to the new paper.

Mr White said Ireland was still dependent on fossil fuels which provide 92% of the energy share for the country at present.

He said by 2050, the share of non-carbon and renewable sources would be between and 80% and 95%.

Ireland would be wholly fossil-free by the end of the century, he said.