Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the findings of the working group established by his Department to look into the peat supply issue to the horticultural sector in the wake of the peat harvesting cessation on Bord na Móna bogs; and the way in which he plans to deal with this issue in the short-term to protect those involved in the horticultural trade. [50230/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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 sector on the challenges they are currently facing.