Minister’s role in Greencore
"These assets comprise buildings, lands, machinery and plant. We have not yet reached the stage where the Minister’s consent might be refused, because it has not yet been sought”, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food was told by Department official Bridie O’Neill. She confirmed that Greencore cannot dispose of the controlling interest in Irish Sugar Limited or its sugar assets without the Minister’s consent. But the special share does not empower the Minister to become involved in operational matters, such as a decision to use facilities for bioethanol production.
Ms O’Neill said the Minister raised with Greencore the possibility of using Mallow for ethanol, but was informed the company does not intend to produce bioethanol there.
