Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We can produce significant quantities of biomass in this country, but it must be economically viable to do so. That is where the focus must be. The agriculture sector has the potential to produce biomass. The stocking rate in this country is only 50% of what is permitted under the EU regulation for nitrates; therefore, there is huge potential in the sector to produce biomass which could be a huge economic driver in rural Ireland. It defies logis for a semi-State company to consider investing in the United States to import biomass into this country. I will argue very strongly at every opportunity that this is doing nothing for rural Ireland and flies in the face of what Bord na Móna's mission statement should be.

My colleague, Deputy Barry Cowen, spoke about the agreement with the ESB. What is the position on that agreement with reference to the use of peat and biomass in ESB plants? We need an answer to that question.

I greatly respect the reputation of the new incoming chairman, with whom, as I said, I have worked in the past. However, I cannot stress strongly enough that this country has the potential to use biomass as an economic driver in rural Ireland. We cannot let that opportunity pass.