Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

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

Mr. Seamus Boland:

No. We talked about track and trace and about clear parameters around such a system. As a country, we seem to be committed to not excavating any more peat from anywhere. That is a decision that has been taken. If we are going to start excavating peat for this purpose, which I think is essential, then we have to make sure that we do not in any way waste it or use it unnecessarily. All the people we talked to seemed to think that the track and trace system, along with clear regulation as to what can happen to the peat or in other words, it goes to where it is supposed to go and not for export etc., would be effective. It is up to others to say that is not possible or otherwise but we did not get a sense of any problems with that recommendation regarding limits and restrictions as to how it would be used.