Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates and compliment them on the fine plan they have presented to the committee. They indicated that Bord na Móna currently has 2,200 employees. What percentage of those are seasonal staff? The witnesses have said that employment levels will be maintained when the company transitions to the new situation. Will that involve retaining the same 2,000 staff, taking on some whole-time equivalents, or how will that be worked out?

In regard to the €22.4 million in savings Bord na Móna is obliged to make this year, will the delegates indicate how they hope to achieve them?

Regarding the cultivation of biomass, what is the greatest obstacle to being able produce more of it in Ireland? Is it that the return to the farmer is a lot less than from, say, dairying and beef production? Have the delegates done any comparisons as to what the return per acre would be from biomass versus dairying, beef, sheep and so on?