asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the experiments engaged in by Bord na Móna and An Foras Talúntais, he will indicate the plans which will be drawn up for the peatlands when their productive capacity has been exhausted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Peatland Experiments.
25.
Bord na Móna have established some centres of pilot commercial operations on grassland, and in horticulture, as a result of the experimental work done to date. It would be premature to base conclusions on the work done to date, and further experience must be accumulated before the optimum use of these cutaway areas can be determined.
Is it not true that during the previous administration experiments were carried out with regard to the growing of root crops, such as carrots? Did these prove successful? Did these experiments suggest that if the last inch of bog is not cut away the land would be more productive in the future?
I believe that is so, but as I said it would be premature to base conclusions on the work done to date. These are ongoing experiments. Further experience must be accumulated before the optimum use of the cutaway areas can be determined.
Could the Minister expedite this matter because a number of bogs are coming to the end of their useful production of fuel?
I think An Foras Talúntais, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Bord na Móna are very interested in this work and they have been in constant communication with one another about these areas.
If this type of vegetable growing is undertaken on these bogs will it be allocated by acreage to individual farmers or will it be a community farm?
I could not say.
Is the Minister aware that the cutaway bog is a better type of bog to make reasonable land than virgin bog? Experiments have gone into the development of virgin bog which can never be as good as cutaway bog. Would the Minister ensure that the bogs are not completely used up because ordinary farmers have made reasonably good land out of cutaway bog?
I am not by any means an authority on this and I would be willing to take anybody's advice or pass on any advice that is given to me, to Bord na Móna and An Foras Talúntais about it.
Seeing that the terms of reference of Bord na Móna are to produce turf does the Minister not think that there is a danger that if this policy is pursued, as the question might indicate, and the bogs are cut away until their productive capacity has been exhausted they will be useless. It is essential that a good portion of the bog remain to allow vegetables to be grown on it.
As I said in reply to the question there are experiments going on about the cutaway bogs and An Foras Talúntais are engaging in them. I am sure they will advise their Minister and Bord na Móna what is the best use to be made of them. They say you could not base any conclusion on the experiments conducted up to date and it might be some years before a decision has to be taken.
They were started a good while ago.