Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the Minister of State to the House. I think this is his first time before Seanad Éireann. I congratulate him on his appointment to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. I know a lot about his work and his track record in this area. We have a particularly good Minister of State, who has shown a particular grá for and interest in heritage for many years. I wish him well in the task ahead of him.

I wish to raise the national peatlands strategy and the issue of peat moss in the horticultural industry. I understand that the preservation and restoration of peatlands is part of the country's climate action strategy. I congratulate the Minister of State and his party on the work that has been done on that. I know the climate action Bill is to be published in the coming days. I understand that and that Deputy Noonan is a Minister of State with excellent green credentials. However, I also understand the importance of peat in the horticultural industry. We had a long debate about forestry. We know that horticultural peat is of critical importance to the use of nursery stock in the forestry sector, where it is used widely. The long-term plan to phase out the commercial use of peat moss in the horticultural industry, as opposed to domestic horticulture and gardening, is of concern to me and many of the growers and participants in the commercial sector.

I refer particularly to forestry nursery stock and mushroom production. It is critical in the production of mushrooms. We have a very successful mushroom production arrangement. Believe it or not, we fly mushrooms to France from our airports. Mushrooms that were in Ireland two days ago are sitting on shelves in Paris, London and all over the world. We have a track record in this product. That is important. Peat moss is also used in organic gardening and horticulture.

This will also have a knock-on effect on jobs. That debate was cleverly played out in the forestry sector. I understand that concern. A balance must always be struck. I am really concerned. The curtailment of peat production will have an impact on Bord na Móna and more importantly on the communities, villages and people who derive their principal income from this work. They must have alternative employment.

Then there is the aspect which I really invited the Minister of State to the House to discuss. We need more research and more time. Phasing out peat moss will be a process. We talk about a just transition, but that takes time. We cannot just cut off the supply of horticultural peat moss until a new alternative such as wood bark or wood chippings is available. Substitutes are being trialled but the trials are not complete. That is an important factor. I am interested in hearing about where the national peatlands strategy is today. What are the Minister of State's plans? Does he see an argument for making this change on a phased basis? I am conscious of where the Minister of State is coming from and his green credentials. I just want to emphasise the importance of the horticulture industry to jobs, food production and the continuous supply of peat to the mushroom sector.