Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Paddy Gleeson:

From listening to this debate, it seems that we will not make any headway until legislation is enacted. I wish to ask Mr. Spillane and Deputy Fitzmaurice something. There appears to be a small ray of light in the form of the sub-30 ha sites. Is the EPA saying that all sub-30 ha sites should be hydrologically linked?

I am interested to hear that Mr. Spillane also has a legal case pending on what hydrologically linked means. To me, until we get legislation enacted, the sub-30 ha seems to be the only route that is possible at the moment. We have been discussing and meeting, and nobody seems to take any heed of us.