Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak and congratulate Deputy Durkan on tabling the motion. The first line refers to the likelihood of major job losses in both the manufacturing and services sectors in the wake of recently approved gas and electricity price increases. I can speak of job losses in my constituency of Limerick West — 400 in Castlemahon, 300 in Kantoher and 50 in Microtherm Limited in Bruff — during the past 12 months. We have proposals to develop bio alternative energy in our constituency, which is an opportunity for the Government to support replacement jobs.

Capway Bioenergy is proposing to set up a bioenergy facility in Foynes which would employ more than 50 people. There is Government support for this project. I raised this matter on the Adjournment last week and I ask the Minister for Finance to look favourably on this project because it will counteract in some small way the job losses in Limerick West. In Adare, we have a project for the growing of Miscanthus grass. There are great opportunities in this project as we have seen in the UK and Europe where this environmentally friendly system could support farmers in the area whose life has changed dramatically during the past ten years——

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