Mayo turf concerns remain despite ministerial climbdown claims

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan is preparing to climb down over the proposed ban on the sale and distribution of turf, according to a report the Sunday Independent.

The minister's party has taken a public hammering since announcing the ban in Dáil Eireann.

The newspaper reports the Green Party was taken aback by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar's comments against the turf ban at a parliamentary party meeting last Wednesday when he described Ireland's affinity with peat as akin to that of the French with wine and the Italians with pasta.

A climbdown, however, would represent a significant step by Minister Ryan in view of his response to a parliamentary question on April 6 last.

He then stated: "New regulations on solid fuels are due to take effect from 1 September next.

"They are required, as each year, some 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to air pollution from solid fuel burning.

"It is estimated that there are over 16,200 life years lost, while many people also experience a poor quality of life due to the associated short-term and long-term health impacts of this form of pollution.

"The National Peatlands Strategy acknowledges the tradition of burning peat in Ireland, but also recognises that the associated emissions to the air contain a range of pollutants.

"Research undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency also demonstrates that the contribution of peat to air pollution levels is significant.

"Turf cutting by citizens for use in their own homes is a traditional activity across many peatlands, and while measures are required to reduce the emissions associated with burning peat, these traditions will be respected.

"Therefore, in order to accommodate those with rights to harvest sod peat, no ban on its cutting or burning will be introduced, but a regulatory provision will be made to prohibit the placing on the market, sale or distribution of sod peat.

"This approach will facilitate those with turbary rights to continue to cut and burn sod peat for their own domestic purposes, while also reducing the use of sod peat in urban areas.

"As such, persons who have turbary rights will continue to be permitted to extract peat to heat their own dwelling, but will not be permitted to place it on the market for sale or distribution to others."

Commenting on the tuft controversy, Mayo Fine Gael Councillor Ger Deere said this year, above any year, is the wrong time to even consider the proposal which prohibits the sale or distribution of turf.

He elaborated: "People and families are facing increased costs of oil, gas, coal and the knock-on impacts of inflation and costs of living, and will look to turf, where they have traditionally done so, to provide a supply of heating.

"I have raised this matter with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and asked him to engage with the Taoiseach and Minister Ryan to reverse this proposal.

"It is not well thought-out and would prevent the provision of turf to elderly relatives in particular as well as effecting students who saved turf and sold it to help fund their third level education.

"We all know that we have a serious climate change issues and the protection of our bogs is vital if we are to reverse this.

"But targeting small suppliers and depriving people who have used turf all their lives is not fair until such time at all houses are retrofitted and adapted for use of renewable fuel sources.

"And whatever about targeting large scale commercials suppliers, the smaller suppliers can't have this ban enforced on them."