Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Returning to the Minister's point, there is a significant issue of competition between poor people's food and rich people's fuel. Have any steps been taken to halt grain-based bio-fuel production because it is pushing up the price of food for the poor but also forcing up through the roof the price of animal feed? The extension into 2013 of the drought in the United States in 2012 is putting considerable pressure on grain production, some of which is going into bio-fuels and having a knock-on impact on the fodder crisis in this country because it is pushing the price of feed beyond the purchasing ability of many farmers. Wearing his EU Presidency hat, can the Minister ensure that the EU takes leadership on this issue and ban the use of grains in the manufacturing of bio-fuels, both in Europe and internationally?

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