Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Concerns for Sourcing Winter Animal Feed in Shannon Callows Area: Discussion

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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My next point is that if Bord na Móna is in receipt of very significant money under just transition, can something be done there? Can we write to this company? I am not a member of this committee but I am a member of the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and I come to this committee regularly to represent my constituents. I ask also that Bord na Móna be written to, and let that body come forward with something and, perhaps, co-operate in some way with the communities affected. That company is in receipt of very significant money from the just transition fund.

Do we have any idea of figures? I understand the witnesses have welcomed the scheme, as I do. It is a start. It is something which was not there before and could certainly be built upon. Do we have any idea, however, what would be needed with regard to the losses for the average farmer who is affected? Could we have some sort of figures in that regard? Will the witnesses come back to us with what they believe it should be or whether there is a need to increase the maximum number of hectares, which is capped at 15 ha? Will the witnesses come back to the committee with some proposals? I certainly would be more than happy to bring them up and follow through on them.

I am very supportive. I have genuinely raised this issue over and over again and I will continue to do so. I am here to represent the people of Offaly.