Results 1-20 of 138 for peat speaker:Matt Carthy

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Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (22 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: 88. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the progress of his Department implementing the working paper to address challenges related to peat supply in the horticulture sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7871/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Horticulture Sector (14 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: .... To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on his engagements with his Cabinet colleagues in relation to the working paper to address challenges related to peat supply in the horticulture sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6947/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Horticulture Sector (28 Nov 2023)

Matt Carthy: 321. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has proposals to amend planning laws to permit the excavation of peat for horticulture purposes in tandem with efforts to determine alternatives to the use of peat by the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52104/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (28 Nov 2023)

Matt Carthy: 442. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to allow the mushroom sector to source peat from within the State while it continues to identify potential alternatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52106/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (1 Dec 2022)

Matt Carthy: 371. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to ensure the availability of horticultural peat for use in the domestic horticultural sector. [56644/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: No, I am just trying to get a sense of that. I see the report scope, as mentioned in the presentation, was: To independently undertake an assessment on the levels and sustainability of current peat stocks across all peat suppliers in Ireland. This assessment is to include available peat stocks, their level of suitability for different horticultural uses, to determine whether or not hobby...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: Like Mr. Boland, I am far from being an expert in this area. I meet people who tell me we should not extract a single ounce of peat, and everything in between. One of the questions that comes up constantly is how come, right across Europe, horticulture can be cultivated without the types of delays that exist in Ireland. That is a question often asked of me and I have no answer. I have to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: ...run for six years before being replicated. That means that by the time we got to a working planning system, it could go beyond the period after which the Government has stated the use of peat will be prohibited entirely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: On the Rochfortbridge concept, as mining of another product is taking place , the proposal is that the peat that is being dug through would be made available to the horticulture sector. The witness has mentioned that it would only be used for domestic purposes. I have put questions to the Minister of State because she has cited the export of peat. I have put on the record that I would have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: ...back on a point the witness raised and perhaps he can tell me if I am misquoting. If I heard correctly, the Mr. Boland said that as a country, we have taken a position that we are not extracting peat for any purposes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: Several Ministers across three Departments have disputed the terminology on the extraction of peat for horticultural purposes. It appears to me that Mr. Boland's starting point was that essentially we are working on the basis that there will be no extraction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: ...points where additional research will need to be conducted. Regarding the Rochfortbridge concept, is it fair to say that Mr. Boland has no idea how many potential sites are available or how much peat might be available from those sources for horticultural use?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticulture Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2022)

Matt Carthy: ...the workability or otherwise of recommendations 1 or 2, there has been some scepticism voiced here. I do not believe there is any prospect of either Bord na Móna or any Minister directing that peat be extracted from bogs that have been designated for rehabilitation and where the work has already started. Therefore, I put it to Mr. Boland that recommendation 3 is not a realistic option

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 the other Departments. I want to get a sense of what is at play at ministerial level. Is there an agreement between Ministers that if any questions are asked on the extraction of horticultural peat the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will respond to them? Has that been agreed at ministerial level?

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: 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: 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: 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: ...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: 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?