An independent TD is to table a Dáil motion calling for those with turf harvesting rights to be exempt from proposed solid fuel regulations.
Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan is planning to sign off on the regulations in September which would take effect next year.
The minister said that the decision to ban the sale and distribution of turf is required to reduce air pollution caused by the burning of solid fuel which leads to the premature deaths of 1,300 people across the country annually.
A spokesperson for Minister Ryan said that under planned restrictions there will be no ban on the gifting or sharing of turf for those with harvesting rights.
Last Wednesday (April 28), a Sinn Féin motion to scrap the planned ban was defeated in a Dáil vote.
In his motion, Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice, who is also chair of the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association (TCCA), wants the Dáil record to note that turf is “an affordable solid fuel” that many people depend on to heat their homes.
He outlines that in some counties, up to 34% of households are solely dependent on turf as a solid fuel.
The motion seeks exemptions from the proposed solid fuel regulations for people with turbary rights; Q3 agreements; fee simple rights; acquired rights; commonage rights; licensed rights; leased rights; inherited rights; familial rights; or any other recognised ownership rights.
It also calls for exemptions for those who provided their bogs for preservation as part of the designation of boglands and those who participated in the Turf Compensation Scheme.
This exemption would apply whether they sold their bogs to the State; took compensation to buy turf elsewhere; opted to be supplied with turf by the state; or moved bog under license or turbary right.
Fitzmaurice is also calling for people who have historically rented or have been provided with a plot and saved turf for their own household to be excluded.
Finally, the motion asks for government to work with the industry “over a reasonable period of time” to ensure that turf sold in larger urban areas through retail outlets meets the same moisture content regulations which currently apply to timber and peat briquettes.
This would ensure that any proposed ban on the sale of turf would not be necessary, according to Fitzmaurice.
The motion will be tabled by the Roscommon-Galway TD in the Dáil on Thursday evening (May 5).