Horticulture growers are becoming more frustrated as an Oireachtas Agriculture Committee hearing this week failed to find a solution to the issue of peat shortages.

Bogs are seen as a source of storing carbon and meeting climate targets, and stricter rules for peat harvesting have created a shortage for growers who need the product to propagate and grow seeds and crops.

Representatives from three different departments, housing, environment and agriculture, were all present and insisted that a ban did not exist on peat harvesting, but said a licence was required to harvest any area over 10ha.

Growing Media Ireland said the ministers of each department were putting 17,000 jobs at risk and a solution needed to be found.