The Minister of State with responsibility for heritage Malcolm Noonan said he is proposing to set up a working group to look at eliminating the use of peat moss in the horticulture industry.

Deputy Noonan has published a report on the review of the use of peat moss in the gardening sector, which was prepared by an inter-agency working group.

The deputy said there are “significant positives and negatives arising from ending the use of peat moss”.

“There are difficult choices to be made – from how we garden as individuals to the economic and cultural impacts arising from any significant changes,” he added.

He is looking at establishing a working group made up of representatives from government departments, state agencies, environmental organisations and industry stakeholders.

€107,000 in funding approved for walking trails around bogs

Meanwhile, deputy Noonan has also announced that grant funding of just under €107,000 has been approved for peatland community initiatives this year.

The funding will go towards eight community groups and organisations for projects focused on the conservation and revitalisation of raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Natural Heritage Areas (NHA) and other peatland areas.

Deputy Noonan said that due to the “level of interest and the quality of applications” received from community groups and environmental organisations under the Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme, the award was more than double the original allocation of funding of €50,000.