Senator Regina Doherty has called on government ministers to ensure that adequate supplies of horticultural peat continue to be made available to farmers who grow fresh produce in Fingal in north Dublin.
The Fine Gael senator said that it is the least the government can do until a viable alternative is found, adding that doing so will make a transition to substitutes smoother in the future.
“A just solution to provide a way for a just transition is what we need for these growers and plant scientists,” she said.
Doherty has spoken on the issue of growers in north county Dublin using horticultural peat as a growing medium previously.
She now wants to see the relevant government ministers come before the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, alongside members from the Working Group on the Use of Peat Moss in the Horticultural Industry.
A government response to address the challenges outlined by the working group was published almost two months ago and Doherty is now seeking further communication around it.
“Importing thousands of tonnes of peat over a 3,000km journey for the food industry is just not a solution. It makes neither environmental, economic, or ethical sense, as stated in the Working Group Report,” Doherty added.
“I believe it’s time for the growers, the elected TDs and senators and the consumers to see whether the government response is addressing the challenges to the supply of peat for the horticultural industry,” she said.
Horticultural peat working group
The group was formed to investigate the potential of horticultural peat alternatives, following decisions in the High Court that planning permission and licensing from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be required for largescale peat harvesting.
It published its final report on January 17, 2022, which outlined a number of recommendations for the industry.
While it agreed that the use of peat in horticulture should be phased out by 2030, it also recommended that legislation should be drafted by government that would move from the current dual consent system to a single consent system, which is the case in all other EU peat producing countries.
Alongside this recommendation, the report acknowledged that despite the need to phase out its use, it is critical for the 2022 season, that “Irish peat should be available over the short-term in sufficient quantities from the existing bogs that are lying fallow”.