Biofuels alternative for Bord na Móna
Minister of State Tom Parlon suggested the move at a Progressive Democrats seminar in Emo, Co Laois, on whether biofuels are an alternative for tillage farmers.
He said Bord na Móna has already proven enough competence in materials management to enter the biofuels business.
Mr Parlon said this could be done initially by supplying power stations while developing the company’s competence in liquid fuels technology.
He outlined a number of other proposals that the PDs believe will facilitate the expansion of the biofuel sector in Ireland.
These include exempting vegetable oils from hydrocarbon excise duties and providing tax relief for the conversion of diesel- powered vehicles to run on vegetable oil.
He suggested that oil refiners and oil importers should provide processing and blending facilities to enable vegetable oils to be incorporated into diesel road vehicle fuel.
Other ideas outlined by Mr Parlon were the provision of establishment grants for biomass plantations, investigating whether a floor price could be established for growers of oil seed rape in Ireland, and funding research.
Meanwhile, Cork East Fine Gael Senator Paul Bradford said the end of sugar processing is a huge threat to the future of the Irish tillage industry.
“The impact of the end of sugar beet growing will be felt far beyond the 3,700 beet farmers in the country,” he said.
“There will be a draconian impact on thousands of machinery, contracting and land letting areas.”
