Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for this opportunity to raise an issue on the Order of Business. It is always good in these times to speak about good news. I very much welcome the announcement by the Department of Education yesterday confirming, at long last, that an agreement in principle has been reached with the HSE on a four-acre permanent site at the Parkmore estate in Ballinasloe for St. Teresa's Special School in Ballinasloe, County Galway. The school does fantastic work and its principal, Anita O’Reilly, staff, students and their parents are thrilled. We have a long way to go yet but this is an important step.

I will address briefly the threat to thousands of jobs in the horticulture sector, an issue that has been discussed many times in the Seanad. We are facing a scenario where we will be out of peat in the autumn. Despite some people thinking this is a Government policy, it is not. The shortage of peat is down to a High Court ruling in 2019, which seriously impacted on the way peat could be produced. Peat is crucial for the horticulture sector to operate successfully. The Deputy Leader has spoken about this at our meetings with her. I call on the Government to examine the possibility of introducing emergency legislation to allow some harvesting of peat without going through the very complicated system that is now in place, which is just not working.

I spent my college days studying horticulture and I know a little bit about it. I also live close to Mountdillon, which is known nationally for peat production. There is significant peat in the area and Bord na Móna decided to draw this down to its peat factory in County Offaly to keep production going. This peat is very much suitable for use in the horticulture industry. I mentioned this to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan. I know the Deputy Leader will convey to the Taoiseach and the Minister the message that we should seriously consider introducing emergency legislation to ensure the horticulture sector does not fold with the loss of thousands of jobs.