Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the report of the working group established to examine the issues identified during the review of the use of horticultural peat will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27138/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Under an independent chairman, Dr. Munoo Prasad, I have established a working group to examine the issues which had been identified during the Review of the use of Peat Moss in the Horticultural Industry.

It is comprised of representatives of the relevant Government Departments, State Bodies, Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations and of various sectors within the horticultural industry. It is envisaged that the final recommendations of the chairman will be issued to me within a maximum of 6 months of the establishment of the working group.

The working group has already held a number of meetings. The legislative provisions in relation to horticultural peat extraction and the potential of alternatives to the use of peat moss in the horticultural industry have been discussed at these meetings.

A draft interim report of the chairman is under consideration within the working group.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if it will be ensured that the harvesting of horticultural peat can resume for the duration of 2021 in response to the rising prices and increased negative environmental impact of importing horticultural peat in place of a domestic source. [27139/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I have neither statutory nor Ministerial responsibility for the harvesting of peat for use in horticulture. However, to assist in addressing the question of horticultural peat extraction, in particular, for use within the horticultural sector in Ireland, I established a working group under an independent chairman, Dr. Munoo Prasad, to examine the issues which had been identified during the Review of the use of Peat Moss in the Horticultural Industry. The working group is comprised of representatives of the relevant Government Departments, State Bodies, Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations and of various sectors within the horticultural industry.

It is envisaged that the recommendations of the chairman will be issued to me within 6 months of the establishment of the working group (around September 2021).

The working group has already held a number of meetings. The legislative provisions in relation to horticultural peat extraction and the potential of alternatives to the use of peat moss in the horticultural industry have been discussed at these meetings.

A draft interim report of the chairman is under consideration within the working group.