Mr. Se?n Finan:

I will respond to the questions that Mr. Murray did not answer. A key part of our published policy paper is around AD acting as a buffer and reserve of silage feedstock, which I may have mentioned earlier when the Senator was absent to attend a Vote. The development of the AD industry in Ireland can act as a buffer and a reserve for silage feedstocks and that feedstock could be built up over a period and used during a fodder shortage. In general, a fodder shortage is short lived from the point of view of a change in weather and the grass grows again. Anaerobic digestion could act as a buffer for feedstocks. There is potential for farmers to utilise feedstocks in times of drought or shortage with AD operators or facilities, potentially, using other feedstocks which may be available at that time. In previous fodder shortages or crises feedstocks have come in from the AD industry across Europe to help farmers in Ireland get through short-term issues and then were replenished at a later point.

On the use of carbon credits by the agricultural sector, the one thing about the AD industry is that the benefits of biomethane are energy-based currently in terms of the inventory. As we understand it, the contribution that the farmer makes in terms of producing feedstocks is accounted in agricultural emissions. That issue needs to be looked at as part of the international counting of emissions, which is the challenge.

On the broader mobilisation of the sector, we need to utilise existing stakeholders and supply chains with which farmers and the agricultural industry are familiar such as the co-operative movement. There is a big opportunity whereby the co-operative movement could be used as a vehicle by which feedstocks are mobilised. The dairy co-operatives and marts network are tried and trusted avenues for farmers. So we can utilise existing infrastructure and stakeholders to mobilise feedstocks and, potentially, develop these facilities. A target of 200 anaerobic digestion plants in the country has been set so a number of plants will be built in every county.

The question is where they will be located in each county. Utilising existing supply chains and existing networks would be beneficial.