Ms Nora Fagan:

I can answer Deputy Troy's second question. The two multinationals in the midlands are competing for land as part of the export project. I am not saying anything unusual, as this is a matter of record, but these two competing companies are already selling their options on to third-party investors. What is particularly unusual about the leases and of great concern with regard to contracts is that all of them are for a minimum of 30 years; normally, the farmer or landowner retains full control over subsequent tenants or sub-tenants, but that control of assignment of leases is not contained in the documentation. Therefore, farmers would have absolutely no control over the third-party multinational investors - whoever they may be - who can come in as tenants on the leases for the land. In Leitrim, Mainstream has sold a wind farm option to IKEA. This is about selling on the options, and I am quite sceptical as to whether the wind farm companies intend to stay in the long term, as they have the full right to assign the leases on and attract investors in order to sell options on a farmer's land and generate income.