Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. As I said at the outset of the meeting, we are grateful to the Minister of State for coming in here today. She can see there is huge frustration here.

The Minister of State might say that the industry will not go under. There are complicating factors out there. There is virtually a labour shortage in the horticultural industry. Energy costs are putting huge pressure on the mushroom side. The problems in the UK economy to which we export the vast majority of our mushrooms are creating complicating factors.

It was clear to us here on the last occasion that the peat that they are using at present and have to import is of inferior quality and it is a cost that the industry will not be able to bear. As I say, there are other factors that are putting the industry under pressure.

What is needed of our bogs to supply the horticultural industry is 0.1%. We all fully accept that if we get an alternative - we are striving to get an economic alternative - we all want to cease harvesting peat. Until we have that alternative, I would urge the Minister of State to go back to the senior Ministers and get a resolution to this because what is there at present is not working. There has been no licence issued. Concern for the industry is causing us to get contrary. All we want is to see some of those sub-30 ha bogs get a licence so that they can harvest the peat for the horticultural industry until we get an alternative, whether in three, five or seven years' time. We only want to support this industry, which is a native industry and, really, a circular economy because the peat ends up going back into the soil.

As a committee, we will make no apologies for focusing on it and keeping the pressure on. That is our job and we will continue to do it.

We will invite Mr. Boland to explain his report and why he states there was lack of engagement. There are some serious statements made in the report. We, as a committee, will be obliged to bring Mr. Boland in here and go through the report with him.

I sincerely thank the Minister of State for coming in. I apologise if a few of us got hot under the collar but it is purely out of concern for the industry.

In a quarter of an hour's time, the select committee will review the 2022 Supplementary Estimate - Vote 30 (Agriculture, Food and the Marine) - with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue. As there is no further business, the meeting now stands suspended.