Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State must have known what I was going to ask. The one area of Irish agriculture that our climate does not generally favour is horticulture, particularly in respect of protected crops. While I welcome the grants the Minister of State announced last month, I asked whether there is a direct, targeted energy policy. Given that the Minister of State ruled out Sustainable Energy Ireland, is it possible to link up with it through Teagasc? The most recent study, which became available in England in August, suggested that 28% of the costs incurred by the horticulture industry in that country are energy based. This is significant considering that Ireland enjoys practically the same climate as England and has the same cost base.

While I welcome the capital investment and the fact that the Minister of State is trying to encourage the development of improved mechanisms for energy efficiency, is there not an avenue that could be explored to prioritise energy? Energy costs will probably increase by 40% in the horticulture sector. If the cost of home heating oil is to increase by €60 per fill from today, one can only imagine the impact on horticulture, particularly in respect of protected crops. This would disadvantage us further competitively in a sector that is probably worth €300 million to €400 million.

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