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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: With regard to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is this a matter that is entirely under the remit of the Minister of State or does the senior Minister engage in any of the meetings that happen at ministerial level on these matters?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: To remind the Minister of State, the question I asked was to elaborate on what interaction the senior Minister, Deputy McConalogue has with her on this issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: Does he approve of the approach that the Minister has taken up to this point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: The approach the Minister of State outlined in her opening statement today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: The Minister of State does not need to elaborate. The answer is that at this stage the Minister of State accepts this point. Does the Minister of State accept that in order to access horticultural peat some stakeholders will be required to import peat and are importing peat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: Why is that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: The Minister of State raised the exportation of peat from the State. In July, she said that we are still net exporters and that "... maybe there is some engagement there that we should be doing with those exporters asking them to maybe not export and to keep it in this country to secure the horticultural sector here". How many of those engagements has the Minister of State had since July?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: That is not the impression she gave during oral debates.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: I look puzzled because I asked the Minister of State how many engagements she had.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: She has not had any. That is the answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: The truth is the Minister of State raised the issue of exportation knowing that it is not horticultural peat that is being exported.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: How much?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: May I suggest that the Minister of State does not make statements in the Oireachtas that she cannot back up with actual facts and figures? If she states, in the context of a debate on horticultural peat, that we are a net exporter, it gives a particular impression whether it was intentional or not; people are open to their own views - that we are exporting tonnes, and perhaps hundreds of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: I am asking about ministerial level. Has the Minister of State met with either Minister of State, Deputy Burke or Deputy Noonan, in respect of this matter?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: You meet and discuss this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: With regard to the background to this, on several occasions the committee has heard evidence. I have engaged with the mushroom sector in particular. Its representatives have told the committee no alternatives are available at this point in time other than horticultural peat for their products. Does the Minister of State accept this evidence?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: Does she find this an acceptable situation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: The Minister of State accepts that importation is now happening. If it is possible to extract peat in Ireland, why is that happening? Why would a person go to the bother?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: I am conscious we are under time pressures. In July, the Minister of State said, "... there is some engagement there that we should be doing with those exporters asking them to maybe not export and to keep it in this country to secure the horticultural sector here". My question is very specific. How many of those engagements has she had in the five months since then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agricultural Schemes: Discussion (9 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: I will be very brief.