Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) President Padraig Walshe has launched a Project Team to promote alternative land uses. Mr Walshe said the establishment of the Project Team underlined the importance of identifying alternatives for tillage farmers that could give them a decent income.

He said “with the closure of the sugar beet industry, an increasing amount of Irish land resources will become available for alternative uses, including bio-energy production. Today, renewable energy sources meet only 2% of Ireland’s total energy consumption.”

The IFA President said “from a farming perspective, growing energy crops will only have a viable future if they provide an economic return on investment and labour, and if the prospect of this return is secure into the future. Currently the return from energy crops is marginal and is hampering the development of the industry.”

Mr Walshe said “in the context of a tripling of oil prices in the last four years, increasing uncertainty about future oil and gas supplies, and the international commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, the European Commission has signalled that an increased role for renewable energy will be a key element of the future energy policy of the EU.”

JJ Kavanagh, the Project Team leader, promised that IFA would play a leading role in promoting all viable land use alternatives. He called on the Government to foster the development of energy crops through substantial excise rebates.

Mr Kavanagh said a premium of over €125/ha is necessary to encourage farmers to produce energy crops.