Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if grant aid is available or will be made available for the production of biomass in view of the possibilities for this product to provide green alternative energy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34199/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Deputy is specifically interested in wood biomass. The types of wood biomass that are used to provide energy include wood from normal forestry operations, the by-products from those operations, wood residue from forestry related industries and purpose grown energy crops including short rotation crops such as willow. Almost all this wood biomass has been produced with public funding support. Energy from wood biomass is renewable, carbon neutral and sustainable. It can be easily produced locally, is independent of international energy prices and offers an alternative to existing fossil fuels.

My Department is currently considering further initiatives aimed at encouraging the development of energy from wood biomass as an alternative to fossil fuels.