Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak briefly on section 6. Amendment No. 54 was ruled out of order. It related to milled peat and the sustainability of the Irish mushroom food sector which now faces a total wipeout unless something is done. I do not want to mix up the two issues in regard to this Bill, but we have talked about social, environmental, cultural and economic roles. It fits in with this. This issue was selected to be in section 6 and that is why I want to raise it. I accept the ruling from the Cathaoirleach that the basis of the amendment was ruled out of order because there was a potential charge on the Exchequer. That is grand with me.

I am not particularly happy that we are not having a detailed debate, but it would be remiss of me not to mention this issue, on behalf of the mushroom growers of Monaghan, Louth, Kildare and Wexford, who have raised it with me and believe there is a case for some peat to be used. When we talk about sustainability and carbon leakage, we cannot have a situation where shipments of peat imports are now arriving into this country via means that use heavy crude oil.

We know some sectors and quarters are being encouraged to go beyond the Baltic states where a lot of peat is available and there are different regulations and regimes by which peat can be brought into Ireland. That is not acceptable. It also involves carbon leakage. That is not the way to go. The alternatives being considered are Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Scotland, which are not viable.

I want to raise an issue. I consider it to be hypocrisy, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, if we cannot, through this discussion, come up with some arrangement.It is a balancing act. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has said it is always a balancing act. We have to consider the environment, culture and economics. We have to consider the sustainability of our rural people, communities and livelihoods.

I am always amazed with one thing. I took the time to go into several supermarkets at the weekend to see the Bord Bia-approved label stamped on mushrooms. Bord Bia is an amazing organisation, which has amazing Government budgets given to it. No budget has been ring-fenced for Bord Bia but that is another day's work and perhaps the Government might wish to look at that at some point. Bord Bia has a mandate to promote the Irish horticultural food sector. It is a successful sector and it sustains households, families, agriculture and communities, and it is vital. These are the issues of concern I wish to raise and I am keen to flag them. We are going to see this sector wiped out within months unless we do address this point. It is important that this is raised here yet again for the third time today.