A new cross-party Bill proposes to put a stay until 2030 on the decision to end the extraction of peat for the horticultural industry.
Bórd na Móna put a complete stop to harvesting peat from its bogs in 2020 following a High Court decision the previous year which made extraction subject to a complex process involving multiple licensing, planning and environmental approvals.
The end of extraction has plunged the horticultural industry, the mushroom industry (which relies on peat for growing) and suppliers of horticultural products such as peat moss into crisis. The industry says that some 17,000 jobs will be affected as a result.
With the stockpile of milled peat quickly diminishing, imports of peat from countries such as Latvia into Ireland commenced in September. The industry has claimed that the imported product is inferior to Irish peat.
An expert group which examined the issue has reported to Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan but the document has yet to be made public. It is understood that it concluded that there are no easy solutions other than to continue research into feasible alternatives. There may be a partial solution that would allow harvesting in areas of bog below 30 hectares – they would not be subject to the same onerous planning and licensing conditions.
The Seanad Éireann Bill is being introduced by Leader of the House Regina Doherty of Fine Gael and by Cavan-Monaghan Senator Robbie Gallagher, with cross-party support.
The Horticultural (Temporary Measures) Bill 2020 would effectively allow larger scale extraction of peat to continue by giving it a derogation from the Planning and Development Act 2000.
The Bill proposes to create a separate category for peat extraction for horticultural purposes that would allow it to be harvested on a temporary basis for a specified period between January 1st, 2022, and December 31st, 2026.
It will allow this form of extraction to be recognised as an “established activity” under environmental law despite giving rise to the possibility it might be considered unauthorised development under planning laws.
That would effectively mean that the Environmental Protection Agency would be required to issue a licence to allow the extraction of peat for the Irish market and production.
It would mean that extraction could continue on a temporary basis in bigger bogs until a licence is granted or refused.
The Senators said on Tuesday that, if allowed, extraction would be subject to very strict environmental conditions and subject to a review after two years. They also said that if the 2026 date for ending harvesting were to be extended, peat extraction would not be allowed to continue beyond 2030.
Ms Doherty said the stockpile of peat ran out during the summer. “We found ourselves in a situation where [providers] had to import peat. Some very large boats arrived in Drogheda in September with 3,600 tonnes of peat, having come thousands of miles from Sri Lanka and Latvia.
“We have a situation where we have peatlands in Ireland, of which 0.1 per cent will be required for the entire [growing media] industry.
“We have such cumbersome legislation and application processes at the moment that nobody can extract their own peat.
“What the legislation does is it allows a derogation from the Planning and Development Act and it instructs the EPA to issue a licence to allow peat to be harvested from Irish bogs for Irish productions.”
Mr Gallagher said it was very time-sensitive and needed an urgent response. “There are 17,000 jobs and most of them are located in rural Ireland.”
He said that the mushroom industry was largely based in his own county of Monaghan. “It is hugely important to our local economy with 3,600 people employed. This is an urgent situation that requires an urgent response.”
