Mr. Paddy Gleeson:

I probably alluded to some of those questions earlier. On the issue of soil, soil is not suitable for growing plants in containers. The main reasons for that are that soil compacts in a container and there is no air space. In addition, it is not uniform. Soil can vary, as the Deputy probably knows, in terms of nutrient and pH levels. One of the major reasons is that soil is extremely heavy in a container and, as such, one would have significant transporting costs. Research carried out by Teagasc indicates that none of the other materials to which I alluded, such as pine bark, wood fibre and green waste, are successful as an entire product as a growing medium. None of them would work as a growing medium.

I would like to see a course being pursued that is similar to what is happening in the UK. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA, has given a lead-in period of nine to ten years, up to 2030, for research to be carried out on various additives. All present realise the importance of climate and the environment. In the meantime, research needs to be carried out before a move is made automatically. It is not possible to move straight away and bring peat from the Baltic states and elsewhere, as the Deputy stated. As Mr. Dunne stated, the first peat has arrived from Scotland at substantially higher cost than our local product. We need a lead-in period. That is very important, as are the legislation issues that were highlighted. We certainly need up to ten years as a lead-in period before we can grow plants successfully in containers. It is a significant issue for professional horticulture. Growing for amenity is different because one can have contaminants in some products but they are spread or ameliorated into the soil and the soil is more capable of coping with that. However, when one puts a contaminant or anything that is way off the norm into a container, the product or plant will certainly suffer.