The issue of the availability of peat to the Irish horticultural sector was raised once again this week in the Dáil, this time as a topical issue by Sinn Féin’s agriculture spokesperson, Matt Carthy.
But if a debate on the topic was what he sought, it was not what he found as none of the ministers associated with “resolving the ongoing peat issue” were present.
“And there are enough of them,” he said.
Deputy Carthy has called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to take the necessary action now to engage on this issue, to save and safeguard the horticulture sector, which has been severely impacted by restrictions to accessing peat from Ireland.
The sector is worth around €470 million to the economy and employs close to 18,000 people.
The mushroom sector, in particular, is dependent on peat as a growing medium and requires 40,515t of it on an annual basis.
A constant supply of peat is required and without that, the horticulture sector and jobs are at risk.
No debate
In the absence of Minister McConalogue, it was Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education, Josepha Madigan, who was lined up to debate the topical issues.
But this debate procedure was criticised by Deputy Carthy.
“I mean no disrespect to Deputy Madigan. She has a very important role in her own right. However, there is no way that we can describe this as a debate,” Carthy said.
“Regardless of what I ask in my follow-up contribution, the Minister of State will read a prepared statement.
“That is not a debate and it is not an acceptable way for departments to behave, particularly when we are dealing with an issue that could genuinely put entire businesses out of work,” he said.
He continued that over the last month, Sinn Féin has sought Dáil debates on the peat issue but such requests were “refused by government”.
He said that the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, sought a joint hearing with the three ministers that have responsibility in this area, namely, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan.
“The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister of State indicated they would attend only if the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications was present.
“The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications refused to attend, so no hearing has taken place,” he said.
“None of the ministers who have a role in resolving this issue are here for this topical issue debate, and there are enough of them.
“None of them could make themselves available for this debate. That is very telling, as has been the government response to the independent report that it commissioned.”
Horticultural report
In relation to this report, Deputy Carthy said the government had “set aside some of the report’s most significant findings and recommendations, including the finding that there are currently no viable alternatives to the continued use of peat moss in the horticultural and mushroom sectors”.
The report also found that emergency legislation was required before the end of last year to deliver a regulatory framework that would allow for some harvesting of peat moss in areas where there is no alternative.
“The working paper produced has done very little to instil confidence that progress is being made. The plain fact is that the current regulatory framework is unworkable, as found by the independent report.”
Minister’s response
As part of her response, Deputy Madigan said that most amenity horticulture growers are now using reduced peat levels in growing substrate, where the peat is blended with material such as bark fibre at levels of between 10% and 30%.
And she said there is general agreement across the horticulture industry that the use of peat should be phased out by 2030, or 2035 at the latest, providing alternative materials where available.
“However, there is also a recognition that a very limited amount of peat may be required for a period in certain sectors.
“The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has continued to highlight the importance of transitional peat supply and to assist in considering solutions to this issue.
“In doing so, the working paper and associated actions put in place, led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will support Irish horticultural growers who are dependent on peat until viable alternatives are found,” she said.
Deputy Madigan acknowledged Deputy Carthy’s frustration and said that she would liaise with the minsters he referred to and inform them that he raised the issue.
She also said that she had taken note of his remarks in respect of emergency legislation to provide a regulatory framework for the sector.