Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a land use issue. Heat incentives are the responsibility of a another Department, as Mr. O'Driscoll said. Willow will grow anywhere, but for it to be commercially viable it needs to grow on reasonably arable land. Farmers cannot grow and cut it in a bog. There is competition with land that might be somewhat marginal but not quite marginal enough. The crop has to be accessible. Therefore, farmers are competing with pasture land, perhaps, or land that is being used for farming.

This was an issue when the former Minister, Pat Rabbitte, and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, were in office. What conversations took place between the Departments? There is only so much land in the country and there were objectives for energy crops and ramping up agricultural production. Where was the crossover and competing interests? How was that teased out? Was it ever teased out?