Mr. Philip Nugent:

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is neither the competent authority for the EIA directive nor responsible for the planning system.

Chairman, I am sorry that you are horrified but I have outlined the steps. I outlined the way in which commercial peat extraction can be reactivated in Ireland and it is through engagement with the dual consent regime. That process takes time. Most members of the committee have stated that there is a requirement for solutions in the interim. Our responsibility is for the greater than 50 ha sites. The only way that they will be reactivated is through engagement with the dual-consent regime.

It is my opinion that import will probably be part of the solution. I would welcome other Departments' views on that but I do not think there will be any-----