On behalf of farmers and the gardening industry, particularly in Wexford, I ask for an extension of the ban on green waste burning. This year's exceptionally wet summer and autumn has delayed the work in disposing of the piles of bracken and brush from ditches and so on that were saturated during the summer. I am aware that burning is allowed until 30 November. Farmers need some flexibility to allow burning to take place up to March 2024, before the new nesting season. Currently, there is no viable alternative to burning. While farmers await TAMS grants for PTO shredders, the cost of hire purchase of industrial-sized shredders is far too high to complete this type of job. Will the Taoiseach use his influence to ask that any individuals who had these piles of green waste already collected in 2023 be granted an extension to burn in early 2024?

There are currently no plans to extend the burning season. There are other proposals around the harvesting of green waste for use in composting materials, etc. While there are no plans at present, we will take on board the Deputy's points.