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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I have a few questions on the Vote. A working group has been set up to discuss the effects that the ban on peat harvesting will have on the horticultural industry. The group has only just given its interim report to the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and the recommendations are weeks away from being published. Is the Department aware that suppliers to the industry are fearful that they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Jackie Cahill: The three witnesses are here to discuss peatland issues and are not experts on horticultural peat. I suggest that they note the questions and get someone else to provide written answers if they do not have the answers the committee members require concerning horticultural peat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I have to say it is crazy to suggest that the Department would come in to talk about rewetting bogs and peat and not expect us to ask questions in relation to horticultural peat and not be in a position to answer questions. We are the committee dealing with agriculture. We are dealing with a sector that is potentially facing crisis. That is not good enough. I want to register my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Paul Daly: ...and thank them for their two comprehensive submissions. I have a couple of points and questions. They are specific to each of the two areas, namely, the rewetting of bogs and horticultural peat, although there is a bit of a link between the two. Starting with the rewetting of bogs, I seek some clarification from the witnesses further to the contents of their submission. In the larger...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: Could I make a quick point of clarification? It was mentioned that the issue of horticultural peat was outside of the scope of today's meeting. The title of the meeting clearly includes the management of peatlands. The documentation circulated to members for this meeting included an update to the opening statements supplied by Mr. Brian Lucas that deals solely with the issue of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

...that period. After one to two years we would expect that the bog would become more of a wetland area. After five years we would see additional vegetation and sphagnum moss growth and some peat forming conditions. To see it return to its natural state as a bog will take 30 or more years. In terms of consultation with the ESB, the focus of the NPWS is on protected raised bogs,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

.... The aim of the restoration and rewetting of the bogs is to raise the water levels in the bog to at or below the surface to encourage the growth of sphagnum moss, which is the building block of peat. If it is too wet the sphagnum moss does not grow. What we are trying to do is retain the water on the bogs to encourage peat forming habitats.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Ms Suzanne Nally: On the point on horticulture peat, we were specifically invited here today to talk about the subject of rewetting and not horticultural peat. The working group does not operate behind closed doors. There are a large number of stakeholders in the working group from a number of different organisations and bodies. On the Deputy's question on the impact on surrounding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Tim Lombard: There was no reference to my questions on horticulture peat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Jackie Cahill: ...could be put in place with a mechanism to deal with any ongoing issues, with a guarantee to the landowners that they would be dealt with to his or her satisfaction. On the issue of horticultural peat, the committee had a meeting some months ago when Mr. Lucas gave a presentation. We were told that the working group would report in early to mid-April on the harvesting of horticultural...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: ...writing and try to read through the information on this. We have a statement that reads, "The review ... concludes that there are significant positives and negatives arising from ending the use of peat moss in the horticultural industry.", without setting out what those positives or negatives are as they perceive them. I presume they mean, by the negatives, the 17,000 jobs that could be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

...these bogs. We do surveys on a bog by bog basis and consult with local landowners as well and then decide whether to review the restoration plans. We might decide to not put in place a number of peat dams based on concerns of local landowners. We are trying to rewet the bog itself and not the surrounding landscape at all. To help allay concerns, we have developed drainage management...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Brian Leddin: ...for a long time and wish him well in his retirement. I am glad Ms Nally clarified the situation regarding the appearance of the NPWS here today. We are not here to discuss horticultural peat. We are here to discuss the rewetting of bogs and I am glad we have been brought back on track. I agree with Deputy Carthy who made a good point on the potential for the widescale restoration of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rewetting of Peatland and its Impact on Farmers: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Joe Flaherty: ...that factored into how the process will evolve over ten, 20 or 40 years? My final question relates to the ESB. How involved is it in this process, in particular where there has been large-scale peat production in midland areas which is now coming to an end? We all appreciate the merits of rewetting boglands. The ESB has responsibility for the control of water levels on the River...