Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is a most interesting discussion with experts. One area I would like to concentrate on is anaerobic digestion. It is like a second coming for it. I recall attending the launch of a local machine to great fanfare and hope more than ten years ago. It is a slow-burner – excuse the pun. Is it potentially a silver bullet? It is being listed as one of the areas of positive attack that the agriculture sector can use to try to meet its emission targets. Where are we now in respect of it? If there is a league of EU member states, we are probably way down, I imagine; however, I would like to hear that from the experts. How expensive is it to roll out? Is there a good EU comparator? What percentage aspiration can we hope for? What size of farm justifies an individual apparatus? Do our witnesses foresee smaller farms pooling resources and operating as a sort of a co-op?

It has been mentioned that both waste matter, slurry and silage, are important components or ingredients. Is there any unintended consequence in placing too much emphasis, if you like, on plant-based silage to the detriment or slurry? Should the emphasis not be on slurry to drive this in case there are any unintended consequences? The alternative could be used elsewhere in the opportunistic farming environment.