Time councillors and TDs took stand on penalties for burning turf - Aontu
IT'S time any right thinking government TD or councillor took a stand to dictatorial jail sentences for burning turf. That's the view of Mayo Aontu representative Paul Lawless.
How much pain must be inflicted on people by the Greens before Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs stop grandstanding and finally insist that policies like threatening jail to ordinary people for burning turf is a step too far, he asked.
“Let's just stop and say that again, 'jail to ordinary people for burning turf'. It doesn't sound any less an abuse of power when we repeat it,” said Mr. Lawless.
In a statement, he said: “It was announced this past week that people who are deemed to burn excessive amounts of turf could face two years in jail or a €13,000 fine under new regulations that came into force on October 31.
“It is the local authorities who will be charged with the task of ensuring that those using turf to heat their homes are not creating what they deem a 'significant level of air pollution and causing a nuisance to [their] neighbours'.
“This means not only the TDs but our elected Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors must make it clear they won't stand by and take this. Token platitudes from TDs in Mayo aren't going to cut it any more with the voters.
“I shouldn't have to point out the obvious. We are all suffering from the drastic energy hikes in our electric bills despite record profits enjoyed by the energy companies.
“Many people have spoken to me, particularly the elderly and young families, of their fears of freezing temperature and their inability to heat the houses particularly if we get a freeze like 2010 or '11.
“Are the government parties so apathetic of this crisis that they instead feel moved to close off other realistic alternatives, namely burning turf, to such a degree they would happily fill our jails with people guilty of keeping their families warm and potentially fending off hypothermia.”
He continued: “An elderly lady spoke with me during the week. She has a shed full of turf. As a consequence of high energy prices and carbon taxes she has purchased no oil and is also afraid to turn on her electric heaters.
“She is petrified that now she could get a jail sentence for using the only heat source she has at her disposal.
“We have seen our justice system dish out lesser sentences on people who have committed real crimes such as the two who deliberately broke a garda's nose and got fully suspended sentences or in the same week a man with thousands of images of child porn received a suspended sentence. However, an elderly woman living alone burning turf in a time of crisis is worthy of jail in the eyes of Minister Ryan and his coalition partners if this is not overturned.
“What they do next will be remembered by the electorate in the next election. It's time to stop the platitudes and force their coalition partners, the Greens, from enacting jail sentences on people who want to simply heat their homes.”