Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Farmers are burning in fields all over the country. One can see the smoke blowing out over the road. It would be preferable to use cuttings for biomass to feed the energy plants.

I impress on the Minister to need to get moving. We have had trials with miscanthus and willow. I know willow will not grow on very poor land but land is available that was used for arable purposes that is close to boggy areas that will grow willow. I welcome the trials the Minister mentioned that are being carried out on eucalyptus. We must involve the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in addition to Bord na Móna and Coillte. The joint venture is to be welcomed but the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has a significant role to play. Farm waste must be utilised. We must move beyond a view that the only products coming out the farm gate is beef, milk or pork. There are many other products, including farm waste, and cash can be earned from utilising farm waste properly. I urge the Minister to talk to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine about the issue to see how we can best approach it because it is not best practice to burn biomass in the corner of fields.

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