Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1979 > Committee on Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies > Report No. 03 - Min Fhéir (1959) Teoranta

APPENDIX 1

COMMITTEE ON THE GLENAMOY GRASS MEAL PROJECT— REPORT 1958

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Conclusions

(i) On the basis of estimated costs of production, grass meal can be produced competitively, in relation to current market prices, from grass grown on reclaimed bogland without a continuing subsidy after a period of 5 years from the commencement of reclamation, provided the rate of production is 2,000/2,500 tons a year.

(ii) Taking account of the potential home and export trade, a market, over and above that catered for or likely to be catered for by existing grass meal producers, should be capable of development to provide an outlet for the output of a plant at Glenamoy.

(b) Recommendations

(i) The grass meal project should be revived.

(ii) The project should be located in the Glenamoy district, and primary consideration should be given to the re-acquisition for the project of the balance, i.e., about 1,400 acres, of the land originally in the possession of Min Fhéir Teoranta as yet unused by Departments of Lands and Agriculture. The final decision regarding location should, however, be left to the proposed new Company.

(iii) An independent statutory Company should be established to operate the project, and the Company should be provided with a sum not exceeding £165,000 by way of a non-repayable free grant to defray capital expenses, and a further sum of £30,000 in the form of share capital for working capital.

(iv) Drying and grinding plant of a capacity of about 1,000 tons a year would be ample in the initial stages; the Company would be in a position during this development period to determine its final policy in the light of experience gained in the technical and commercial aspects of the scheme.

(v) The Company should co-operate with the existing producers in the marketing of the product.