Possible Return of Sugar Beet good news for rural Ireland
Labour representative for Kildare South, Cllr Mark Wall has welcomed the news as reported on RTE this morning that plans are underway for the possible construction of a sugar beet plant on the Kildare/Carlow border.
Cllr Wall said:
“The prospect of the return of the sugar beet industry to the south east as reported on RTE this morning is good news for rural Ireland, and an issue the Labour Party has campaigned on for many years.
“Ireland currently has had to import all our own sugar since the closure 13 years ago of the last factory, but the ending of EU sugar quota restrictions has restored the potential for this industry.
“For generations the sugar beet industry provided decent work in factories, and a good income for farmers who grew it. Ireland has an ideal climate for sugar beet, and the return of the industry would be very welcome.
“Of course if a plant is to be built it needs sugar beet to be grown so a lot of work is still to be done. I want to congratulate the work of BEET Ireland who have progressed this plan, and look forward to further progress.”