Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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217. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding importing peat and timber; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50186/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Minister Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, established a working group, which includes a representative from my Department, to address the key issues raised in a Report on the Review of the use of Peat Moss in the Horticultural Industry. A final report from this working group is expected at the end of October.

I am well aware of the issues in relation to the licensing of peat abstraction which are generating challenges (volume and price) for the horticulture sector. Peat extraction is subject to a planning process under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) license process under the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. As such, my Department has no involvement in its regulation.

The Department is actively looking at alternatives to peat and has funded two research projects to date. Furthermore, the Department’s Research Call for 2021 included a call for further research on alternatives to peat based growing media for horticultural production.

Given the Department’s areas of responsibility and recognising the importance of the horticulture sector to the economy, DAFM continues to provide sustained and significant support to the sector through the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Horticulture Sector.

Additionally, fruit and vegetable growers who are members of recognised Producer Organisations (POs) can access EU funding up to 50% of the eligible costs of approved Operational Programmes through the EU’s PO scheme.

My colleague Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has responsibility for the sector, and I continue to engage directly with the timber sector on the challenges they are currently facing.

Irish wood processors have imported roundwood from Scotland for a long number of years. This is the only area from which roundwood with bark may be imported into Ireland as it is officially recognised as a Pest Free Area (PFA) for harmful bark beetles. Imports must be accompanied by an Official Statement to attest to the origin of the roundwood and are subject to inspection.

The volume of imports from the PFA have increased in 2020 and 2021 as sawmills and processors have become more reliant on this as a source of raw material due to an increase in global demand for timber and delays in licencing timber for felling domestically.

However, in recent months significant improvements have been made in the issuing of licences for felling and forest roads with the timber volume licensed to date in 2021 almost 1 million cubic metres ahead of the total for 2020, and an equivalent year on year increase in forest road approvals. It is anticipated that this will have an impact on the volume of timber available domestically thus reducing the reliance on imported roundwood.