Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is also Littleton in north Tipperary. There is an opportunity for Bord na Móna to meet the demand for smokeless fuels. However, it depends on the Government to make a policy decision in this regard as it is a semi-State company. I know the Government has a short time left in office. Whether it is a month or six months, I hope there is no ideological block to this from the Minister’s partner in government, Fine Gael. It is important to see how the semi-State sector can get involved in this. Bord na Móna has shown itself to be good in diversifying and developing new business and products. This is an opportunity for it to ramp up and get seriously involved in the production of smokeless fuels.

There is also the opportunity to develop smaller collieries such as Rossmore, County Laois, which has substantial anthracite seams, one of the ingredients for smokeless fuel.

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