Mr. Michael Barry:

I will pick up on these items. With regard to the Coillte wind development project in County Mayo, the Cluddaun project, the reasons it was rejected from a planning standpoint are not directly applicable to our site. There were different issues specific to that site. Our site is absolutely adjacent. Any site we own we develop in joint venture with ESB.

We have had delays also and are currently suffering from a continuing delay in achieving a revised planning. There have been some legal developments. A law case decision at the latter part of last year in the O'Grianna case has had a bearing on this. We are still absolutely committed to developing that project and working hand in hand with the ESB we expect to deliver.

On the subject of community gain, we actively engage with the local community in terms of maintaining relationships and explaining what we are doing and the nature of the project. We have had a series of town hall meetings. I think a fundamental aspect of Bord na Móna's DNA is its responsibility to the community. We in Bord na Móna regard ourselves as being part of and a product of the local community, especially in the midlands. Generations of the same families have worked for the company. We actively engage in local communities, in particular on infrastructure projects. We believe it is essential to liaise actively with the communities and to bring them on the journey with us.

In response to the question on carbon tax and the engagement of Bord na Móna with the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners, we have actively engaged with both. A couple of years ago, prior to the introduction of the carbon tax, members may remember that the then Minister for Finance deferred its introduction for a couple of years pending the introduction of a so-called robust mechanism for dealing with the issue of product coming from across the Border. We engaged heavily with the Revenue in relation to that. The reality is that there is no robust mechanism that works in practice. That is not, however, for the lack of engagement on our side.

The question of biomass and the announcement on Mayo Renewable Power was raised. We have land adjacent to that project, but what has been demonstrated based on extensive trials over the years is that Bord na Móna's land does not support the growing of biomass. The yields are not adequate. It does not work. My colleague, Mr. Ryan can expand on that point.