Trevor Sargent
Question:99 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the acreage being used for growing biofuel crops. [7298/00]
Written Answers. - Biofuel Production.
Products of animal or vegetable origin can be used in the production of biofuels. However, as there are no commercial biofuel plants in this country, crops are not grown specifically for the manufacture of biofuels.
Trevor Sargent
Question:100 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the incentives, if any, available to encourage farmers to develop biofuel crops. [7299/00]
Trevor Sargent
Question:101 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans, if any, he has to convert land currently set aside to be used for the production of biofuel crops. [7300/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.
Set-aside land can be used for growing non food crops, other than sugar beet, for the production of alternative energy without loss of compensation under the support scheme for producers of arable crops. There are no additional grant incentives available, and the absence of a biofuel manufacturing enterprise in this country is a disincentive for the growing of such crops.
The commercial opportunities for an ethanol plant are currently being assessed by a major Irish company, and my Department is fully supportive of the company in this evaluation study.