Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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613. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the level of engagement he has had with businesses that will be impacted by the restrictions on cutting horticultural peat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39319/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I have neither statutory nor Ministerial responsibility for the harvesting or supply of horticultural peat. To assist in addressing the question of horticultural peat for domestic purposes, I have 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.  It is comprised of representatives of the relevant Government Departments, State Bodies, and Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations and of various sectors within the horticultural industry.

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 has been discussed at these meetings.

An Interim Report with regard to the current shortage of peat in the Horticulture Industry has been received and is under review. A final report of the Working Group is due by the end of September 2021. The final report is expected to identify possible alternatives to peat and to outline the research required to produce commercially effective alternatives for use in the Horticulture sector.