Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Meagher and Ms Curry. I congratulate Mr. Meagher on his appointment as chairman designate of the board.

As a former employee of Bord na Móna, as someone whose family lived in a Bord na Móna house in Edenderry and as a midlands Deputy, I have a considerable interest in this. I want to try to address a number of specific issues. On the issue of biomass, all we have are media leaks or stories in the media about the purchase of a plant in Georgia, USA. Various figures are mentioned, one being €60 million. I want Mr. Meagher to address this directly.

The next issue is of significant concern. In 2030, peat extraction will be finished if we are still in the European Union. What is the position on replacing peat? When I first walked through the doors of this House seven years ago, Bord na Móna representatives were raising with us the need for a proper scheme to be put in place for the growing of willow for biomass in the midlands. What is happening in this regard if we are to reduce or put an end to peat extraction? There is a lot of marginal land across Laois, Offaly and west Kildare, which looks very like north Offaly. There is also marginal land in other areas, such as Roscommon and other parts of the midlands, that may be suitable for biomass. It is estimated that Ireland would have a very favourable climate in this regard. Why are we not developing that industry? I have raised this with the Minister before.

Some 150,000 tonnes of palm oil husks were brought to Edenderry from Indonesia. They came from virgin forests. What is the cost in terms of carbon miles? The product looks very clean but it is a bit like the case of the renewable heat incentive in the North in that the product going in looks lovely but diesel guzzlers have to haul it here by road and sea, clocking up considerable carbon miles. We are not generating the industry in the midlands. This needs to be dealt with. There is a considerable need in this regard.

I read the delegates' presentation twice before attending this meeting. I welcome the statement that Bord na Móna's first commitment is creating jobs, particularly in the midlands, and working with communities. This is all 100%. Obviously, the company's activities have to be commercially viable given that it is a commercial semi-State company. I understand that. Believe me, when I was involved, we worked hard to make sure that happened. The employees of Bord na Móna are hard workers. Biomass is one of the issues we need to address.

Another issue I wish to raise concerns biogas. Bord na Móna is involved in the waste management industry. I am a customer of AES, one of the company's subsidiaries. Has Bord na Móna considered biogas? We have a fairly large agriculture sector. There is a debate over what to do with agricultural waste. Agricultural waste mixed with other waste can be used to generate energy and make fertiliser, as Mr. Meagher knows having come from Glanbia, another very successful company.

The other issue concerning renewables is that of wind. I note revenue from the sale of wind energy from Mount Lucas in north Offaly has declined. I actually drew peat from the briquette factory there in a truck to Coolnamona many moons ago. Revenue from the sale of electricity generated by the plant fell by €5.2 million last year. It is said the company struggled with its second lowest yield in ten years. That is not an argument against wind energy but an argument for proportionality. We have large tracts of cutaway bog. There are major debates over where solar plants should be located. There is a large amount of bog where they could be located.

The last point I want to address with Mr. Meagher is the horticulture section of the company. I met the company's previous director and management a few times. I met Mr. Mike Quinn, Mr. Gabriel D'Arcy, Mr. Gerry Ryan, Colm Ó Gógáin and others at various times in respect of projects they were trying to develop. Regarding the horticulture sector, which was the sector in which I worked, Bord na Móna purchased a plant, White Moss Horticulture near Liverpool and Manchester, for €12.1 million. It has taken a €14 million hit on it. There was an inventory write-off in respect of the purchase. It did not turn out to be exactly what it was supposed to be. Issues also arose over compliance. The logic for buying White Moss Horticulture was that it would provide a bridge into Britain after Brexit. There could have been other methods used. I argued very strongly at the time in question that the plants in Coolnamona, Laois, and Kilberry, south Kildare, should be considered in order to up the game. That has not happened. The jackdaws are flying in and out of the plant at Coolnamona.