Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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273. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that will be implemented to assist the mushroom and horticulture sectors due to the difficulties that have arisen in relation to peat harvesting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10416/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A working paper which has been put in place by my Department, in conjunction with the Departments of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), and Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Housing) sets out a series of actions to support the horticultural growers who are dependent on peat as a growing medium.

In these targeted actions which reflect the multi-faceted nature of the problem, the Department is endeavouring to address the short-term issue of supply, the medium term one of future access to peat and also the longer-term issue of replacement with alternatives.

The commissioning of an independent expert to work with all peat suppliers to ascertain the level of horticultural peat stocks available to growers is one of these key actions.

A second key action is the commissioning of experts to provide focussed regulatory guidance on planning to assist those wishing to extract peat in the medium term for horticulture growers. This expert guidance will provide a valuable resource to those seeking legal compliance for the abstraction of horticultural peat on sub-30 hectare bogs for supply to the domestic horticulture industry.

I understand the importance of delivering these actions and my Department is currently liaising with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to having the services of these independent experts available as soon as possible.

My Department in also looking towards the future will continue to support and facilitate research in the development of alternatives to peat for horticulture. €1.69m was recently awarded to Teagasc for research into utilising organic bio-resources and novel technologies to develop specifically designed and sustainable peat replacements.