Local MLA Warms To Renewable Energy

Local Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Phil Flanagan, right, speaking to Mr. John Gilliland, owner, Rural Generation, during a visit, organised through the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business TrustÕs (NIABT) popular Fellowship Programme, to EnniskillenÕs CAFRE College which now uses one of Rural GenerationÕs wood fuelled boilers to provide most of the heat for the College. Photo Lorcan Doherty Photography
Local Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Phil Flanagan, right, speaking to Mr. John Gilliland, owner, Rural Generation, during a visit, organised through the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business TrustÕs (NIABT) popular Fellowship Programme, to EnniskillenÕs CAFRE College which now uses one of Rural GenerationÕs wood fuelled boilers to provide most of the heat for the College. Photo Lorcan Doherty Photography

Local Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Phil Flanagan today took part in a working visit to one of our most successful renewable energy companies, Rural Generation.

The visit which was organised through the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust’s (NIABT) popular Fellowship Programme, gives MLAs an opportunity to learn more about the work of organisations in their local constituencies.

As part of today’s programme, Mr Flanagan MLA visited Enniskillen’s CAFRE College which now uses one of Rural Generation’s wood fuelled boilers to provide most of the heat for the College.

Speaking about his experience Mr Flanagan said: “I was delighted to be given the opportunity through the NIABT Fellowship Programme to meet with a local company which is at the forefront of developing new environmental solutions.

“During today’s visit I was able to see first-hand how wood fuelled boilers which use carbon neutral wood pellets can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and general fuel costs. For a home grown business these results are both innovative and exciting.

“The CAFRE Campus at Enniskillen is an important driver for innovation in the agriculture and agri-food industries and it is only right that it is adopting the greenest technology it can.

Local Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Phil Flanagan with Mr. John Gilliland, owner, Rural Generation, during a visit, organised through the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust’s (NIABT) popular Fellowship Programme, to Enniskillen’s CAFRE College which now uses one of Rural Generation’s wood fuelled boilers to provide most of the heat for the College. Photo Lorcan Doherty Photography
Local Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Phil Flanagan with Mr. John Gilliland, owner, Rural Generation, during a visit, organised through the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust’s (NIABT) popular Fellowship Programme, to Enniskillen’s CAFRE College which now uses one of Rural Generation’s wood fuelled boilers to provide most of the heat for the College. Photo Lorcan Doherty Photography

“I was also pleased to see how Rural Generation is continuing to seek new ways of treating waste coming from both industry and agriculture. Their trials using willow in the cleaning of dirty water from rural sewage treatment work shows us that there is unlimited potential for greener solutions.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Fellowship Programme offers MLAs a unique opportunity to learn more about the day to day work of organisations in their local constituencies and to participate in a range of activities from the boardroom to the shop or factory floor.

The Fellowship Programme is open and available to all MLAs and participating members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust. Local Businesses who wish to find out more about the programme and benefits of membership can visit the NIABT website www.niabt.org

About the NIABT

The Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust (NIABT) works to forge links with, and promote the exchange of knowledge and information between, local businesses and parliamentarians in Northern Ireland and in Europe. Open to businesses from all sectors and of all sizes, the NIABT organises activities including breakfast briefings, educational visits, fellowships and seminars and an annual European visit.

NIABT aims:

  • to provide Assembly Members (MLAs) with a better insight into how local businesses work, helping them to make informed judgements when reviewing Department policy and legislation relating to the local economy.
  • to improve the business community’s understanding of how the Assembly and devolution work and how policy and legislation is developed.

Media enquiries to:

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Phone: 028 9052 5938
Mobile: 078 998 64368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk