James Breen (Clare, Independent)

It is wrong and I protest in the strongest possible terms that my question was not put to the Department to which I wanted it put, the Department of Agriculture and Food. The Bush initiative would increase the price of wheat by 40% which is good for the Irish farmer. Extracting ethanol from wheat and maize cannot be considered a feasible option because the price is too high. The Government was alerted some time ago to the possibility of building a sustainable industry with indigenous produce. That produce is the lignocelluloses feedstuffs to produce oil additives and platform chemicals that can replace our dependence on petrochemicals. It would revitalise our agriculture, bring people back to the land and provide employment in hub towns and cities. What has the Minister done about it? He can do nothing about it because the question should be answered by the Minister for Agriculture and Food. Does the Minister agree with me?

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