It’s been a tradition in Ireland for centuries, and many rural families rely on their own turf-cutting efforts to heat their homes, but now Minister Eamon Ryan looks set to outlaw the sale of turf to others.
The proposal – to come in place in September – has been met with an outcry from Rural TDs.
Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who is also chairperson of the Turf Cutters and Contractors’ Association, said the move could lead to turf-cutters being treated like drug-dealers.
“Are we going down the road where if a person with an elderly neighbour supplies them with a load of turf for free or at cost that they could be done for distributing turf?” he told Agriland.
“Are we really going to label generous neighbours the same way we do drug dealers: Possession with intent to supply?”
“I don’t believe that Minister Ryan thinks this move will protect the rights of turf cutters nor can he honestly believe it will save lives. He is being barefaced in his insincerity.”
Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has said there is a sense of disbelief and anger within rural communities following the revelation. “Are we really at the stage where a rural family with a sign outside their property advertising the sale of a few bags of turf are to be treated as eco-criminals? This is grossly disproportionate and unjust, and it needs to be resisted immediately from every rural and indeed every urban TD within the Government,” she said.
“Last April I explicitly warned that the Government was engaged in a process of creeping criminalisation with respect to turf cutting and how rural communities in particular choose to utilise this natural resource. We now see that that creeping criminalisation has moved up to full gallop,” Deputy Nolan said
In response to a question from Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin, the Green Party leader and Minister for Climate Action and Environment said that people who cut their own turf would be prohibited from selling or distributing any surplus they had.
“New regulations on solid fuels are due to take effect from 1 September next,” Minister Ryan said.
“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.”
“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.”
But Michael Fitzmaurice said the move would hit vulnerable people most, including those suffering from fuel poverty.
“At a time of war in Europe and soaring energy prices, Minister Ryan thinks now is right to prevent hard-pressed people from being able to buy a couple of trailers of turf to warm themselves next winter,” he said.
The government has previously come under fire for importing turf from Latvia and Estonia after its decision to rush to shut down peat harvesting in Ireland to satisfy EU demands ahead of schedule.