Dr. Florence Renou-Wilson:

I would like to correct a comment about the budget because the 28 million tonnes of carbon were not for the 1,800 ha. That equates to the high bog - the uncut bog - which covers 16,000 ha.

The next question concerned how long it takes to re-wet. It is magical. If one wets a basket of peat, it stops emitting immediately. There is no trick involved and nothing else is necessary. It could not be cheaper. It simply involves preventing rainwater from draining away and leaving it in the bog. If the peat is wet, it will stop emitting because that is what it has been doing for the past 10,000 years since the last Ice Age. There is no trickery involved and no money is needed to do that.

The Deputy asked for a good example of paludiculture. There are several examples. It depends on location. Even though we are a small island, location is important because it depends on how wet the climate is. The west of Mayo is much wetter than the midlands. It will also depend on how wet and cold winters are. Countries like Canada, Germany and Finland have been trying everything that grows.

If it grows well in a given climate, it should be used. In Ireland, reeds, including cattails and phragmites, grow well and could have good biomass to burn, as well as trees.

The other question related to the announcement about Bord na Móna and Coillte planting bogs. I was involved in such a project 20 years ago and, therefore, I know all about planting trees on bogs. It is not easy and it causes many other environmental issues. I was wary when I heard the announcement. I hope both organisations will learn from what we have learned. Some 250 ha of peat has been afforested in the midlands and one hopes they will return to that. We need to be careful because if the peat is not rewetted and the trees do not grow satisfactorily, carbon will be emitted constantly from the dried peat. Nevertheless, there are areas, especially in the midlands, that, perhaps due to their location in the topography, such as in a sloping area or a raised position, have been cut all around. There is no way they could be rewet before everything else is rewet. In such areas, a way will have to be found to sequester at least some carbon through afforestation, but we must assess every area for re-wetting potential before we do that rather than just deciding on what is easiest for everyone, which has been the modus operandithus far.