Plans to restrict turf sales to go ahead
At a glance
The Irish government defeats a challenge to its plans to restrict the sale of turf
The bill is aimed at reducing air pollution
The opposition and some backbenchers opposed and argued now was not the right time
- Published
The Irish government has defeated an opposition motion to stop plans to restrict the commercial sale of turf.
The government won the vote by 72 votes to 64 after giving assurances that people would still be allowed to cut and save turf from boglands as they had done traditionally.
The environment minister and leader of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, had proposed a ban on the sale of wet wood, smoky coal and turf from September 2022.
He said this would reduce the number of people – estimated at 1,300 – who die annually in the Republic of Ireland because of air pollution.
But it was the issue of turf that captured the political imagination even though only 4% of households burn the fuel.
That rises to around 20% in the Irish midlands where most of the opposition to the proposal came from.
Sinn Féin, the main opposition party, and several backbenchers in the two other coalition parties - Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - argued that now was not the right time for such a proposal because of rising fuel costs and a cost of living crisis.
'Not an outright ban'
Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Mícheál Martin re-assured his worried TDs (members of parliament) that people would still be allowed to cut and save their turf from boglands as they had traditionally done.
He also said those who gifted or sold small amounts of the fuel to family members and neighbours in communities of less than 500 people would not be penalised.
Smoky coal, he said, was the real problem.
The issue was raised at government parliamentary meetings with backbench TDs being told that their concerns would be taken on board.
The government will seek advice from the European Commission which could make binding recommendations on the plan.
Mr Ryan said the proposed measures will focus only on large-scale commercial sales and not on the traditional, but declining, use of turf in rural areas.
He said what is proposed was not an outright ban and explained the government would not ignore the health issue and the loss of life associated with air pollution.
It is understood that the issue will be debated by the three coalition leaders at their weekly meetings before new proposals are brought to cabinet.
Whatever is ultimately agreed is unlikely to have any major impact this year.
