Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise just one issue. I have heard a number of suggestions here to the effect that "that is not in my brief" or "that is in someone else's brief". Senator Paul Daly makes a really strong and cogent case. We need a multi-agency approach to tackling this problem.

Perhaps we have not touched sufficiently on the economic impact assessment. I refer to the economic impact this is having on the horticultural industry. I ask Mr. Lucas about his knowledge of that. What was the most recent economic impact assessment? It is critical to all of this. We need to look at the economic aspects, as well as the sustainability and environmental aspects. Is he aware of when an economic impact assessment was made on these proposals and the reduction in the use of milled peat? What was the last economic assessment he, or any member of his group, had sight of? The multi-agency approach needs to deal with this issue.