Research and innovation “must be applied” to find alternatives to peat for the horticultural Industry – but in the meantime Ireland must be allowed to mill peat for horticulture, independent senator Victor Boyhan has said.
In a statement this week, the Seanad Agricultural Panel member said: “I am calling for an economic impact assessments [EIA] to be carried out to estimate the cumulative economic effects [sales, exports and employment etc] associated with the peat, horticulture, forestry, agri-food and related sectors of the economy.”
A horticulturist by profession, the independent senator called on Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to commission Teagasc to conduct research trials into alternatives to peat for the horticultural industry, agri-food and forestry sector.
“I am calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to commission Teagasc to conduct research trials into alternatives to peat for the horticultural industry, agri-food and forestry sector in the meantime peat milled must be allow continue.”
“Jobs in the food and forestry sector must be protected, the horticulture industry needs to be afforded a period of ‘just transition’, sustainable alternatives to peat that will yield high-quality food production and are profitable must be explored through research an innovation,” the senator concluded.
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