Making Ireland Fairer
Some thoughts on dealing with the end of cheap oil
Recent increases in oil prices coupled with the fear of diminishing oil supplies are rightly seen as an opportunity for Irish farmers. I think the future role of both indigenously and non-indigenously produced bio-energy products is a key contributor to Ireland's economic security. I believe it is a great pity that the Carlow and Mallow sugar beet processing factories are not being converted into 'bio-ethanol fuel from sugar beet' facilities, now that the Government has agreed to close down Ireland's sugar beet industry.
* I will work to support intensive research is carried out on which bio-fuel crops might be most profitably grown in which areas and in what kinds of soils.
* I will continue monitoring what measures elsewhere in the world have succeeded in stimulating bio-energy production, and where appropriate we will adopt them here.
