Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in. Mr. Boyle might me take me through something I am trying to get into my head. On slat mats, Mr. Boyle said the animal thrives quicker, but Teagasc did research that found it actually ends up that the animal is not as long on the farm, to put it simply.

Can Mr. Boyle explain where he was talking about the solid manure not mixing on the slat when it goes down and how it does not allow methane? I want to get my head around the aeration system. Is there an additive added to it that keeps it soft all the time? I know a small bit about contractors. We use 39 l an hour of diesel when we are agitating. That is the fact of having an agitator in a fairly big tractor and one is trying to get it agitated fairly quickly. Mr. Boyle said it avoids that.

I understand the point Mr. Boyle's made when talking to Deputy Leddin about how there are roughly two days for slurry, because I have often seen slurry after two days and you are going nowhere with it because it has become too thick. Mr. Boyle said that the farmer has the choice of picking good days to put it out and that two-day window is not forced. For my sins and being in machinery, will Mr. Boyle explain to me the mechanism that is involved? For example, is there a motor or is it a piped system? Will he explain to me, if he can, how it reduces this methane that is in the tank? Is it clear that when this is going on and it is soft all of the time that there are no emissions going up during the day or on a continuous basis? I am trying to get my head around that bit.

I was interested in what Mr. Burke said about the different countries. He referenced Ireland getting sort of a kick in the teeth from a journalist. Can he tell me more about that? I understand there was a journalist undercover or something.

If Mr. Boyle and Mr. Burke could go through those, I might have a couple more questions for them after that.