Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I am pleased to raise the issue of promoting miscanthus in the context of the environment because I raised it during a recent adjournment debate in the context of agriculture.

The first crop of miscanthus grass in Ireland was harvested in Adare, County Limerick. This grass should be supported with substantial grant aid because it has much to offer in terms of farm crop replacement and renewable energy. An Adare company, JHM Crops Limited, was formed to promote miscanthus as a viable alternative crop. The company has identified the growing of miscanthus as an alternative farm enterprise and has established crops for rhizome and cane production. A feasibility study carried out by Dr. J.J. Leahy at the University of Limerick shows the project has excellent potential.

Miscanthus is a low input, high yielding multipurpose crop, suitable for production across large areas of Ireland. The grass is undergoing much research in Europe, the United Kingdom and more recently, Ireland, as a renewable energy crop to produce heat and power. Miscanthus has other environmentally positive applications, such as use in equine bedding or garden mulch. The establishment of more processing facilities to meet the needs of growers and end users is essential to provide an opportunity for farmers to maximise returns, especially in the early years.

Miscanthus is a woody perennial grass which originated in south east Asia and is commonly known as elephant grass. The non-flowering forms are of interest agriculturally as they grow rapidly, have low nutrient requirements, produce high yields, suffer from no known pests or diseases and conventional agricultural machinery can be used to plant, maintain and harvest them.

Miscanthus is grown commercially as an energy crop for use in power generation. Commercial power generation projects using biomass crops such as miscanthus commenced some time ago in the United Kingdom and Europe, with more due to come on stream in the next number of years. Ireland is only now waking up to the potential of biomass power. JHM Crops Limited, in Adare, is committed to supplying crops for a similar market in Ireland.

The crop is propagated by rhizomes, will grow to three metres in height within three years of planting and remains viable for at least 25 years. As the plants are sterile, there is no danger of proliferation of the crop onto adjoining lands. The crop is perennial, with stems emerging from an underground rhizome complex annually, in March or April, reaching its maximum height of three metres towards the end of August. Cooler temperatures in autumn trigger senescence and translocation of reserves below ground. The crop is left in the field over winter and, during this phase, leaf material falls to the ground, recycling nutrients and providing mulch which suppresses weed growth. By spring, the cane is ready to harvest, typically using a forage harvester similar to that used for maize. It can also be harvested using mower conditioner power prior to baling. Detailed information on the agronomy of miscanthus can be supplied.

Miscanthus differs from short rotation coppices in that it provides an annual harvest and, therefore, an annual income for the grower. In Ireland, long-term arid harvestable yields from a mature crop will exceed seven tonnes per acre per year and will, in many cases, amount to eight or nine tonnes. Markets are being explored and developed for miscanthus in areas as diverse as equine bedding, plywood and sustainable composites materials for car parts and plant plots. The crop is supported through the energy crops scheme, which only provides €45 per acre to farmers. I urge the Government to consider further support for this crop.

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