Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Sadly, one has refused. It might have cleared up a few matters today. It might have put in a foundation to save these horticulture jobs, which are vital in rural communities. That may be why those officials are not here today. It might have its own meaning.

I will lay out all my questions because different witnesses may want to answer them. From what I can gather, there are major problems in the horticulture sector with dual media, the peat in the soil, this season. Even with 30% peat in growing media, growing of plants is very poor and the grower and consumer are getting much poorer products. It will put growers out of business next season. Will the Government restart limited harvesting in order to give a transition period to allow compost makers to create a product for growers? Will growers get any support from experts in finding ways to get solutions using the new peat-free media? From what I can gather, it is not working for growers at all.

Is any peat still being exported from Ireland? This is Irish peat for Irish growers from bogs that can never be repaired. In the budget why did the Government not pull a grant to landowners of bogs to block drains when those bogs cannot be used by horticulture but somehow are allowed to sit emitting greenhouse gases?