Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 February 2021
1105. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide funding to research a viable alternative to peat in relation to horticulture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10345/21]
View answerMy Department operates a programme that provides funding for agri-food research, on a competitive basis, to research performing organisations, including Teagasc and the Higher Education Institutions. Applications are invited periodically through Research Calls that cover a broad range of agriculture, food and forest related research activities.
Our current call, which closes on 9th March, contains a specific topic entitled: ‘Find alternatives to peat based growing media for horticultural production which are available, affordable and sustainable and meet quality, environmental and productivity requirements. Proposals should take account of how peat based growing media are used in each sector (ornamental and amenity horticulture, vegetable sector, fruit sector, mushroom sector), and the unique characteristics demanded by each formulation of growing media in the Irish context’.
My Department has also supported research in this area via the Producer Organisation Scheme.
