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Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mark Wall: ...not quoting the Minister of State on that but on the whole issue, which is why we need three Ministers. I accept that he did not say that but I quoted him correctly in terms of the exemption from peat extraction. We need three Ministers to debate these matters because, as my colleagues have said, different versions have come from sections of the Government, which is always difficult to...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach for this opportunity to speak to the House today on peat harvesting. As someone from a large rural constituency, I absolutely understand the critical importance of the horticultural industry and its value to the wider economy. I have and will continue to work side by side with the industry to facilitate peat extraction. I have done this as a back bench Deputy and...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...are employed within it. The farm gate value was €437 million in 2018 and exports were worth €239 million. I imagine they are conservative figures. We are not talking about a huge amount of peatland. Under 5% of Irish peatlands are under production. That is about 0.4% of the total amount of Irish peatlands. As we know, the current process is that horticultural peat...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Lynn Boylan: I acknowledge that the situation with horticultural peat for some businesses has reached a critical point. I accept that it must be an extremely stressful time for those business owners and their employees. I also acknowledge, as have others, the importance of the agrifood industry to Ireland's economy. That said, it is essential that we understand how we have reached the situation we are...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mark Wall: ...local papers in County Westmeath. I was shocked to learn, especially as someone who lives in the midlands, that just over three weeks ago this country, which is famed for the quality of its peat, imported 4,000 tonnes of horticultural peat from Latvia. It has been said that the 3,000 km journey had to be further supplemented by 200 trucks in order to bring the peat to the port in Latvia...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. Throughout last year and this year, Growing Media Ireland and the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, on behalf of horticultural peat producers, highlighted the many substitutes to peat, but said that, in 2021, there is not a sufficient quantity of alternatives available that are affordable, sustainable and of the quality required. They said that...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

John Cummins: ...the economy, that is, €410 million for horticulture and food and €67 million for amenity horticulture. This critical sector is on its knees due to the unintended consequences of the restrictions on peat harvesting. It is all well and good to say that there is a need to look at alternatives, but there simply is no viable alternative at present for the majority of operators...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Regina Doherty: ...of State for being present today for what is an important debate. There is near unanimity in the Chamber. More importantly, at the outset, the Minister of State said he supports an exemption for peat extraction from the planning process because I know he gets just how important this is to the horticultural sector, including fruit and vegetable farmers, mushroom growers and many nurseries...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Victor Boyhan: ...made four requests, the first of which I have a difficulty with and will, therefore, not promote. However, I do not have a difficulty with the other three. First, it requests the resumption of peat harvesting from existing horticultural peat bogs for 2021, at a minimum, and they state that there must be a period of overlap, which I agree with. We must ensure the just transition about...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Paddy Burke: ...solve this issue. It is a crisis, as has been said by several speakers. None of us are too far from the rushes or bogs. This is an issue that must be solved. It is ludicrous to be bringing in peat from Latvia, Lithuania and Scotland. As Senator Doherty pointed out, 80% of it is water in some cases. It is an important industry, as has been pointed out, that has 16,000 jobs associated...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: ...and irrational situation. We need to hear the Minister of State say that. The old phrases about selling ice to Eskimos, sand to Arabs or bringing coal to Newcastle spring to mind. Importing peat to store it next to a bog would be laughable were it not so serious an issue. One might say it is "No Latvian matter". As we know, harvesting in Rathowen and elsewhere all but ceased as a...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: ...for leave to apply for substitute consent and, 15 months later, they are no further along in the process. It would take six years to hopefully achieve the regulatory approval to start producing peat again. We need to streamline the permit process. We need a fair and workable licensing system that would allow for the phasing out of peat production and provide the opportunity for...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Róisín Garvey: .... What the sector is doing is great but we need to support it and go further and substantially increase the amount of food we are producing in Ireland if we are to be sustainable. With regard to turf, peat and bogs, this is not a Government-created problem. EU regulations had to be implemented in Ireland. Bord na Móna was not following those regulations and it lost a court case....

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I welcome the Minister of State. I am not going to repeat what has been said, but I am glad to see this debate happening. We went outside earlier and spoke to many of the businesses and people who are front and centre in this crisis. The Minister of State will be aware of all the issues. We have a crisis in this area and it must be sorted out. We can come in here and talk about where the...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: ...us will have read for some time. It summed up the very strange contradictions that exist in our energy and climate change policies. To be clear, the report was about 4,000 tonnes of horticultural peat which had been imported to Ireland, having been transported 3,000 miles from Latvia, on 200 trucks. That peat is now being stored in Rathowen, next to where an extraction had been...

Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mark Wall: I accept that but let me quote the Minister of State again. He said that he had no problem with extracting peat extraction from the planning process. That is what he said.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I never said that I did not have a problem with the importation of peat.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: ...coming in. This is a very important debate. The Minister of State brought great clarity on his role and the planning process. It was important he clarified that he understood the issue, supports peat extraction and the horticultural sector and understands the threat the current situation poses to a sector worth close to €500 million to us. It employs more than 17,000 people....

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Robbie Gallagher: ...Leas-Chathaoirleach will give me my ten minutes. I have no doubt about that. On a more serious note, I was heartened by one of the Minister of State's sentences, when he said he had no issue with peat extraction being taken from the planning process, which I welcome. I could feel the frustration in his voice during his presentation on this issue. If the Minister of State feels...