John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

As I come from the south east, I have had numerous meetings with farmers' organisations in recent weeks about possible alternatives for the beet industry, one of which relates to ethanol. Other areas in the beet industry need to be resolved first. Yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Finance of excise duty relief for biofuels of €20 million in 2006, €35 million in 2007 and €50 million in each year from 2008 to 2010, inclusive, is a welcome boost for the biofuel industry. The Minister for Agriculture and Food, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and I have pursued this matter with the Minister for Finance for a number of months. We will consider the possibility of exploring opportunities to use sugar beet, oilseed rape, wheat and other crops to develop biofuels. The Deputy can take it that beet will be included and will be very high on the agenda in our discussions with farmers' organisations.

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