There has been outrage in rural Ireland after it has come to light that Irish peat moss is being replaced by an Estonian product in the wake of Bord Na Móna’s sudden decision to shut down native peat harvesting early.
In a shock announcement last month, Bord na Móna said it was ending all peat harvesting from Irish bogs, despite previous assurances that it would continue until 2030. Now Irish workers watch as briquettes and peat moss are being imported from Estonia, Germany and elsewhere, and much of rural Ireland is not happy to say the least.
One Facebook page, Barroughter and Clonmoylan Bogs Action Group, posted their discontent.
“All the way from ESTONIA. This is now being imported to replace the native Irish peat moss. Ryan and the Green Gang think it is helping the environment to cart this from Estonia when we have an abundance of peat moss in Ireland.”
Commenters similarly weighed in with their reactions.
“You really couldn’t make this up – (they’re) running the rural community into the ground,” wrote one commenter.
“It is time to get Bord na Mona up and running again. Get rid of the Greens and FF/FG for allowing this. You have rural Ireland destroyed,” said another.
Gript recently did an interview with several of the Bord Na Móna workers directly affected by the decision, which can be found here.
Bord na Móna has moved to end all peat harvesting from Irish bogs – now Irish workers watch as briquettes and energy are being imported from Germany and elsewhere. Gript speaks to some of those affectedhttps://t.co/4MTHNQgHGM pic.twitter.com/x0ZjwohaO8
— gript (@griptmedia) February 18, 2021