Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be very brief because, unfortunately, I was help up and was late. I apologise to Mr. Dolan for that. Initially, this meeting was fixed for 9.30 a.m. I had something else on at 1.30 p.m. and so missed the beginning. However, I have read the submission and am intrigued by, and very interested in, what he is telling us. I can only see benefits from the technology they are talking about.

However, many dots need to be joined up. That is my interpretation. Mr. Dolan talked about mapping technology, software and machinery. Realistically, it is going to be contractors who use this. It will not be feasible for individual farmers unless they operate on a very large scale. How does he see the dots being joined up? Soil sampling is involved, as is mapping, the technology and the machinery. We met farm contractors yesterday and, at the moment, they do not qualify for grants in respect of machinery whereas farmers may. Under the current system, there is the potential for grant aid for individual farmers if they could achieve this. Unless there are changes to the system, contractors will probably be ruled out. How does Mr. Dolan see all of those dots being joined up?

My other question is on the request to reclassify digestate from anaerobic digestion. Where do the witnesses see us going in that regard? We are way behind the curve in the area of anaerobic digestion. Where can we go in this regard and where should we go?