Energy costs highlighted as farmers continue campaign

Energy costs highlighted as farmers continue campaign

16 January 2013

A CAMPAIGN BY local farmers in favour of alternative energy sources has continued with a meeting with a local MLA.

Sinn Fein Assemblyman Chris Hazzard met with members of Down District Farmers for Renewable Energy (DDFFRE) at Down Council’s headquarters. The party’s leader on Down Council, Stephen Burns, also took part.

The meeting focused on economic opportunities which are available in rural development though diversification and reducing farm costs by developing on-farm energy resources.

Local farmers highlighted rising costs of energy, and how they were under pressure to reduce their ‘carbon footprint’ from the big UK retail multiples that buy their produce. However, they were unable to get connection to the electricity grid as South Down is being left out of the overall drive to upgrade the grid across Northern Ireland under the Single Market programme.

They ask Mr. Hazzard to facilitate meetings with NIE.

Mr. Hazzard, a member of the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee, said he will ask why the South Down area is being left out of the grid development programme.

“This has serious implications for the development of both agriculture and commerce generally in South Down,” he said. “This focus on development in other parts of Northern Ireland at our expense is mirrored in our roads infrastructure.

“I attended meeting in London recently, and prospective developers were able to tell me about the lack of a Ballynahinch by-pass, the A5 and point up chronic traffic problems in Downpatrick. We need a new approach to development in South Down, we have been fobbed off for too long”

“DDFFRE farmers have some exciting ideas in the area of energy storage and distribution, and I would encourage this group to apply to the both DARD rural development funds and to the East Boarder Region group as their ideas are clearly important to the development of the all-Island grid.

“I also intend to organise a meeting with Minister for Agriculture Michelle O’Neill with these enterprising Lecale farmers. They deserve our support.”

Councillor Burns said Sinn Fein will be having a meeting with planners at Rathkeltair House in the near future, and will address the issues raised by local farmers.

“It is not acceptable for senior planners to refuse to meet local farming leaders and Sinn Fein will vigorously pursue this matter,” he said.