Deputy Michael Collins and his Rural Independent Group have called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to scrap any turf-cutting bans.
The group also calls on Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to stop “hiding behind the greens” as the rural independents consider proposals by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, “insane”.
Minister Ryan confirmed that a regulatory provision will be made to prohibit the marketing, sale or distribution of sod peat from September. However, those with turbary rights will be able to continue to cut and burn sod peat for their own domestic purposes.
Deputy Collins critisised that the government would even contemplate such proposals, and that the announcement in the middle of an unprecedented energy crisis is “unforgivable”. He said:
“Our group has been warning of the government’s sinister plan to attack turf for over a year now. However, given the current energy crisis, we would have expected even this government to place a firm pause on any new turf-curtailment measures.”
He added that this announcement has made clear that the Green Party has “no grasp” of current energy and financial realities impacting Irish families. “Many families are facing daily decisions of either buying food or heating their homes,” Deputy Collins said. He continued:
“Proceeding to bring in a law to forbid the cutting of turf, except for personal use in your own dwelling, without providing an alternative fuel source is a devastating blow to many rural residents, particularly the elderly, who depend on buying a trailer or two of turf every year to heat their homes.”
Deputy Collins said the government’s ongoing assault on the rural way of life is having a profound impact on all rural communities, and that this will eventually lead to a ban on the burning of all turf.
The rural independents are calling on the Taoiseach to clarify if he is going to allow Minister Ryan to proceed with these regulations. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have the power to block this overreach, Deputy Collins said.
Call for phase-out of commercial turf sale
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen has called for a gradual phase-out of the commercial turf sale to reduce the impact on certain homeowners.
This would stop an outright “cliff-edge” ban from impacting certain homeowners and families that still rely on turf, Deputy Cowen said. He explained:
“Some commercial turf cutters have annual customers in localities where many homeowners don’t have their own plot and rely on these suppliers. It is those families and those providers who are impacted by a commercial-sale ban.”
He said it should be tried to reach an agreement for the phasing out of commercial sales instead of the cliff-edge proposal being suggested.
Deputy Cowen urges Minister Ryan to meet with representatives from all parties this week to discuss this further and seek out a fairer solution for the stakeholders concerned.
“Ultimately, we need a phasing out by agreement, whereby a just transition is realised with realistic and cost-efficient alternatives being made available for those impacted by the proposals,” he said.