Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I formally joined the meeting late but I was in transit and was listening throughout. Some of my questions have been answered but for the most urgent one, I do not think there has been a clear answer. It concerns what legislation would need to be amended or what new legislation might be needed. I acknowledge Mr. Dunne 's point that this is not an easy fix, although it is nonetheless urgent.

This was signalled perhaps two years ago, when Bord na Móna, for commercial reasons, ended horticultural peat extract. Might more have been done then in order that we would not find ourselves in this position now? I am open to being educated by the witnesses. Is it simply the case that the industry and the operators within would need to apply for planning permission and go through the formal processes of appropriate environmental impact assessment reports and so on? Was that not done and are we now in a situation where that would take too long, given that planning permission cannot be granted quickly?

I might make a point in response to Deputy Ring. I do not think the climate Bill has any bearing whatsoever on this and we should not leave anyone watching proceedings with the impression it has.

Finally, what proportion of harvested horticultural peat was exported in 2019? Can our guests confirm that we are looking for a solution purely for domestic horticultural peat and that we are not seeking to open up export potential as well?