William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I would agree with Mr. Phelan. He said he is a part-time tillage man and that is a certainty anyway because he could not be full-time at it unless he was Coolmore or the like. I have a number of questions prepared. I am a farmer myself. I will go through them all and then the witnesses can answer. My first question is for the Irish Bioenergy Association. What are the key policy or regulatory barriers currently limiting the roll-out of anaerobic digestion at farm and community level in Ireland? What specific policy changes would most effectively accelerate that deployment? How can Ireland ensure that the feedstock used for biogas production is sustainable, avoiding competition with food production while supporting circular bio-economy principles? I did not realise that they were drawing lots of grass into it in Northern Ireland. I would have a big problem with that. What measures are needed to ensure that the biomethane from anaerobic digestion can be effectively injected into the national gas grid and sold competitively within the energy market?

My next question is for Nephin Energy Limited. What are the main planning and permitting challenges faced by developers in Ireland and how might the processes be streamlined without compromising environmental safeguards? From a developer's perspective, what financial models or incentives, for example, feed-in tariffs, carbon credits or renewable heat supports, are most effective in ensuring project viability? How does Nephin approach community consultation and ensure that there is local acceptance of anaerobic digestion facilities, especially in rural areas where concerns around odour and traffic may arise? I had all of this in my area when Bord na Móna was granted planning permission for a digester. What technological innovations are emerging that could make anaerobic digestion plants more efficient and reduce operational costs? I ask this in the context of smaller-scale farmers like myself. How can anaerobic digestion be better integrated into existing agricultural systems in terms of nutrient development, recycling and so on? What role does the Bioenergy Association see for biomethane in decarbonising not just heat and electricity but also transport and agrifood supply chains?

My next question is for Mr. Gildea. From his experience as a farmer, what are the practical barriers, technical, financial or regulatory, to adopting anaerobic digestion at farm level? How has anaerobic digestion affected his farm's income stability in terms of energy costs and circular resources, for example, slurry management and fertiliser savings? What specific supports, whether advisory, financial or infrastructural, would make anaerobic digestion more accessible and attractive to farm families across Ireland who might be interested in what he has been doing?