Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I trust I will be allowed to comment on the disappearance of Senator Keaveney from the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny. On a more serious note, I support the group of amendments in the names of Senator O'Reilly and others. The Minister will agree that the thinking behind the amendments is at the core of the legislation and in line with what he and everyone else is seeking to do in the promotion of a bio-fuels industry. During the interesting debate on Second Stage, Senators were at one concerning the desirability of ensuring that the maximum possible amount of alternative fuels, including bioethanol, would be in use in every mechanised vehicle in this country. It is obviously good for the economy and the environment. The missing piece of the legislation, however - and particularly for those of us who want to see the development of a native bio-fuel industry in our own constituencies - is the provision of domestic obligations. The 4% target is achievable and quite modest, but under the legislation as drafted, presumably the 4% will be made up almost entirely of imported fuels. Whilst that may be important for getting bio-fuels into the system, it will do nothing in the long-term to develop a native industry. We must therefore tweak this legislation however we can to provide opportunities and incentives thus promoting the growth of a bio-fuel industry across the country. This is particularly the case for areas that hitherto had a strong sugar beet industry, including Mallow, Carlow, Thurles and Tuam. Generations of farmers were involved in the production of sugar beet for those sugar plants. There is a great opportunity for many such people or their successors to turn their land, farming skills and machinery into the production of bio-fuels. The Minister has been discussing this aspect of the energy sector with various farming organisations, but this is the first legislative opportunity we have had to lay down a marker and try to put incentives in place for the development of a native bio-fuel industry. Previous attempts to do so have not succeeded to a significant degree. In the former sugar beet areas, many people have proposed project ideas to introduce crops and process bio-fuels. While the Bill does not shut the door on that prospect, it does not open it either. I hoped this legislation would open a welcoming door for native bio-fuel production. If it succeeded in doing so, it would transform the rural environment and economy by creating jobs.

From his discussions around the Cabinet table, the Minister is aware of the current plight of Irish agriculture. Options for farming families are shutting down weekly, yet here we have a genuine win-win situation to develop new farming opportunities to grow energy crops and satisfy our environmental obligations, while generating real jobs, income and hope for rural Ireland. I appreciate that we are on Committee Stage, but hopefully some time will be given before Report Stage for the Minister to consider this range of amendments. He may also wish to develop his own thoughts and table his own amendments to that effect. As the House of the Oireachtas which gives greatest deliberation to legislation and which sees most amendments accepted, it would be opportune for the Seanad finally to put in place legislation which included obligations on bio-fuels. It would support Irish farmers and, by extension, the agricultural industry and rural areas generally. I hope the Minister will heed what we are saying. We made the same points at even greater length on Second Stage. The Bill presents a once in a decade opportunity for such legislation to have a meaningful and positive impact on rural life and the agricultural sector in particular. The Minister should give our arguments careful consideration because we would all gain as a consequence if he responds positively to these amendments.