Labour shortages are a “major issue” in the horticulture sector, the chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Jackie Cahill has warned.
“The reality is that many businesses are relying on international workers from non-EU countries to work in this industry and the work permits and visa process is far too slow,
“We need to see this system streamlined, made less costly and less bureaucratic, with departments engaging with each other to get these permits and visas issued far quicker than we are currently seeing,” Deputy Cahill told Agriland.
The joint committee met with the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) yesterday (Wednesday, June 28) to discuss some of the key challenges that the sector now faces and put forward viable solutions.
IFA Fruit and Vegetable committee chair, Niall McCormack said that the biggest issue for the sector was the availability of staff.
McCormack said he does not know any younger people who would be interested in joining the industry.
He has called for a “fit for purpose work permit scheme for horticulture”, which is currently at stage three of discussion in the Dáil, according to the IFA.
IFA deputy president, Brian Rushe also highlighted that “the challenges facing the sector are multi-factorial”.
Peat
Rushe told the Oireachtas committee that “scarcity of hired staff” is a key issue, but that that issues with peat are also effecting the sector.
He said it was being imported to meet demand, and “the demand is there”, according to Rushe.
Deputy Cahill also stated: “Until we have an economical, environmentally friendly alternative, it is essential that we harvest enough peat for the horticulture and nursery industries here in Ireland.”
Horticulture aid
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture, food and rural affairs, Claire Kerrane, proposed that instead of launching a new scheme, “perhaps” the horticulture exceptional aid payment could be amended.
The Roscommon-Galway TD suggested that a yearly aid payment could potentially help the horticulture sector.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced today (Thursday, June 29), a short extension to the 2023 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector.
The scheme will now close for applications at 5:00p.m next Friday (July 7). It had been due to close at 5:00p.m tomorrow (Friday, June 30).
According to the IFA’s policy executive for horticulture, potatoes and organics, Niamh Brennan, government support is needed for a short-term solution.
However, when it comes to long-term solutions, Brennan said that dealing with the issues of labour shortages and transparency from the food regulator, along with “continued support in terms of substitutions for the likes of peat”, is needed.
Community gardens
Earlier this week the Minister for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell and Minister for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, met with local and national community growers in Leinster House.
The meeting was arranged to address issues that had been raised in relation to the Planning and Development Bill 2022.
This included the omission of allotments from the wording in the bill.
The review of the bill is ongoing, but reassurances have been given by Minister O’Donnell that the final draft will include references to allotments and community gardens.
Both ministers also agreed to develop a new best-practice guide to encourage more allotments and gardens to be established throughout Ireland.