Victor Boyhan (Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from Teagasc and the Department for coming in. We have already had debate on this issue at the committee, particularly with hemp growers and advocates on its potential. I have grown hemp here and in Greece, so I know a little bit about the matter. It is very easy to grow. Once the seed makes contact with soil and it is firmed in, it grows. I do not particularly want to connect it with the word "weed", but that is what it is and it grows well. We have to be responsible about advocating for it and how it is grown and managed.

I will deal with my questions for the Department first. I got a sense from the Department that there was a certain reluctance in respect of this crop. I do not know why that is the case but it is the sense I got from reading departmental circulars and the opening statement provided by Mr. Moloney. He referred to the programme for Government, which states that this will be explored. Mr. Moloney did not say that, but I am familiar with the programme for Government and it does mention of this. Mr. Moloney stated that he is not in a position to share this and that with us. I respect and understand that, but we, as a committee, have to take an overall view based on the information available to us at this time. I am not sure whether people are convinced about hemp but there seem to be a lot of people who are excited about it. When one drills down into it, however, there are difficulties. We know it is easy to grow but there are issues in terms of processing it. Close proximity to a processing plant is a requirement. We know it has to be set in away from roads. Mr. Moloney outlined that in detail. He presented figures in respect of hemp and spring barley for the period from 2015 to 2021 and told us that it peaked in 2019 terms of hectares sown. I will ask a few questions and our guests might answer them all at the one time if that works for them. Is there any reason for the peak in 2019? Does the Department have qualitative research and information that tells us it peaked and then slowly went down?

There is great excitement in respect of hemp. It may be the case that there is not enough information but there is a view that it has potential in terms of fibre material, printing, horticultural and other matting, horticultural mulch and quality seed. What knowledge does the Department have in respect of security and quality of seed? There are many hemp seed variants. What is Mr. Moloney's knowledge of the current supplies of hemp? Where is hemp seed being sourced? Is hemp seed being harvested here? Where is it being harvested? I ask Mr. Moloney to share details in that regard.

I thank our guests from Teagasc for appearing. Teagasc prepares a number of fact sheets. It did a very extensive one in respect of hemp. I was very excited by it. I do not know if or when it will revise that factsheet but it gave great hope and excitement in this regard. In his opening remarks, Dr. O'Mara referred to diversification. Farmers are always looking to diversify and consider new crops but those crops have to be profitable and sustainable and have a future and, ultimately, a market. It is about getting that critical mass and buy-in. I do not know where that can happen and what the opportunities are in that regard. Ultimately, Teagasc is involved in research and development. That is one of its key roles. Dr. O'Mara referred to An Foras Talúntais and the earlier research that was done. I ask him to circulate to the committee Teagasc's most up-to-date factsheet on hemp because I think it covers a lot of the area we have been discussing.

The U-Protein research project being undertaken by Teagasc in conjunction with UCD and other places is exciting in terms of the funding being committed by Teagasc and the potential for synergy. There is significant growth in new protein in the sports sector. Even aside from human consumption, there are significant opportunities in the context of animal feeds. We know from the United States and Canada the opportunities that exist in that context. It is clear that Teagasc does not have to reinvent the wheel. A significant amount of research has already been done on this. Much of the industry is already getting into the area of sports nutrition, as well as human dietary and nutritional requirements. The most promising reports about which I have read relate to animal nutrition. I know that work is ongoing with universities in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast. When will that information come? Where is Teagasc at in that regard? What is the timeline involved? More important, what is the financial commitment in terms of innovation, research and resources that Teagasc has invested in this market? How is that reflected in its ambition for the product? It would be very helpful if our guests from Teagasc were to share that information.