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Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Senator Pippa Hackett): I thank the Ceann Comhairle and the Deputy for their nice welcome. Peat is traditionally a very important component of the national horticultural and amenity plant sector. Approximately 60% of the value of Irish horticulture is dependent on peat as a growth medium, with the mushroom amenity...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Pippa Hackett: I agree with Deputy Cahill's final comment that it does not make sense to import peat here. The bottom line, however, is that the sector will have to transition away from peat. We will not have an endless supply of peat even if we wanted to continue with extraction. In the interim, as part of that, there may well be scope to facilitate that by focusing on the domestic demand for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Jackie Cahill: I welcome the Minister of State. I wish to speak today on horticultural peat harvesting. This sector makes a major contribution to the Irish economy. 5 o’clock There are 6,600 people directly employed in this industry and a further 11,000 in indirect employment. Many of those jobs are in the midlands, which have been particularly hard hit by industry closures and growing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Jackie Cahill: I welcome the Minister of State's reply in which there was recognition of the significant importance of the horticulture industry and the need for peat as a source of raw material. I welcome the formation of the working group and I hope a common sense solution can be found. It would not make sense from either an economic or environmental perspective to import peat into this country.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Matt Carthy: ..., the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and his answer in respect of the job losses that would be caused to the Monaghan mushroom industry and the associated peat extraction industry was that they will need to diversify. He spoke about solar panels as being one option. The difficulty with solar panels, and there are prospects for that sector, is...