Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I thank everyone for coming in and for their opening statement and presentation this evening. A couple of weeks ago, I was out with Welgro, the cucumber grower in Rush, which is now one of only two cucumber growers left in the country. Energy is the big issue it raised with me then. It was really good and I would encourage others to go out and see what it does. We come from different backgrounds in farming, I come from a livestock farm, so it is good to see what it does and it shows the huge potential we have to stand on our own two feet when it comes to food production beyond beef, dairy and so on, which is there and going well. It had won an award for sustainable business. When it comes to climate, environmentally friendly practices and sustainability, it is all there. That makes its potential even greater.

The IFA has talked a lot about energy, gas prices and so on. Something put to me, which I put to the Minister, was a carbon tax rebate. The carbon tax will continue to rise and will continue to be a rising cost for these businesses. Of that there is no doubt. However the Minister's response was that the new enhanced relief, as he called it, coming into operation on 1 June would provide relief for certain heavy oils and liquified petroleum gas used in horticulture production and mushroom cultivation. What difference will that make? What impact will it have for the sector?

Along with that, I am also aware that the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, has been a welcome and important support for many businesses throughout Covid. Has the sector been able to avail of that? I understand it has not.

Can we deal with those questions first, that is, the energy side, the carbon tax and TBESS?