Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I rise to speak about one thing only and that is the mushroom industry. It is the only thing I am concerned with. I oppose the export of Irish peat to the UK and other places for horticultural purposes there. They can get on with their John Innes compost or whatever else they have. I am only concerned with the mushroom industry and the people whose jobs are at issue in the mushroom industry. It is all very well to come into this House and blame parties for the errors that have happened. Sometimes we should be honest - I hope the Minister of State will not take exception to this - and say the Administration in our country is to blame for much of the messing that goes on. We only have to look at the messing going on the forestry business at the moment and the complete omnishambles of our failure to meet forestry targets. It is no political party's policy that should be the case but it has just happened by sheer incompetence thus far. It is not a party political point. There is no point in attacking the Greens on this or the Greens feeling sensitive because it is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's Senators-----