John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the effects that the recent gas prices have had on tomato growers' gas bills, which have increased by over 40% in one year; and the action she plans to take to alleviate the problem. [1942/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that the increase in the price of natural gas is placing significant pressure on tomato growers. As almost 30% of the total cost of growing a heated glasshouse crop is comprised of energy costs, any increase in the price of gas must have an impact on production costs in the protected crops sector. Arising out of this concern, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, met the Commissioner for Energy Regulation last year and impressed on him the serious problems faced by the sector arising from the significant increases in the price of natural gas. Representations were also made to the commissioner by my Department in conjunction with Bord Bia prior to the review of the tariff structure during last year. My officials will take up the matter again with the Department for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

My Department supports the protected crop sector on an ongoing basis through the grant aid scheme for capital investment under the national development plan. Since 2001 an amount of €2.6million has been paid to the sector to upgrade their facilities and some of this aid was directed at equipment such as heating systems and energy reduction installations. Aid of €3.6 million will also be provided this year and this will fund projects in commercial horticulture to the value of over €10 million for those completed in 2005.