Rural leaders lay out energy needs

THE Government has been urged to clarify how its Energy White Paper will contribute to regional and rural development.

Irish Rural Link (IRL) said the plan fails to provide a framework for rural communities to benefit from the renewable sector.

IRL chief executive Seamus Boland said although the white paper maintains the actions it outlines will contribute to regional and rural development, it fails to justify this claim.

“Aside from direct payments to farmers and forestry owners it is not clear how this policy will contribute to the rural economy development,” he said.

Mr Boland said many people working in rural development had hoped the white paper would provide a framework to encourage processing of bio-crops at local level and for distribution.

“Many rural areas struggling to generate off-farm employment and to cope with declining numbers engaged in farming could reap huge benefits if a framework which supports local processing, use and distribution of bio-crops is established,” he said. JJ Kavanagh, IFA bio-energy project team leader, said the white paper misses the opportunity to provide a framework to develop an indigenous land-based renewable energy sector.

Macra na Feirme president Colm Markey called for measures to ensure farmers could meet future demand for energy crops. “Further incentives need to be put in place to develop indigenous feed stock and take account of lead-in periods for bio-energy crops,” he said.