TDs call for a return to commercial peat harvesting

/ 9th March 2022 /

It's time to 'forget Eamon Ryan's fantasies' and reopen bogs for peat harvesting to tackle the fuel crisis, Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has said.

The Roscommon-Galway deputy said yesterday that "in wartime situations, governments have to make unusual decisions', and that there should be a 'wartime solution to make sure people have enough fuel for their houses."

Commercial peat harvesting was effectively banned in 2019 when Bord na Móna confirmed it would no longer issue licences to commercial contractors.

With the price of fuel rising amid the war in Ukraine, there have been calls to reintroduce the use of peat.

Deputy Fitzmaurice said that he believes that bogs should be reopened.

He commented: "There is talk that the EU is looking at stopping Russian ships coming into EU ports. That eliminates diesel, it eliminates coal and eliminates LNG [liquified natural gas] from Russia. Something needs to fill the vacuum."

He added: "Whatever bogs are free to cut or whatever bogs are there, there should be a wartime solution to make sure people have enough fuel to heat their houses... The Irish Government needs to forget about Eamon Ryan's fantasies at this stage and make decisions for the betterment of the people here."

A spokesperson for Environment Minister and Green Party leader Mr Ryan said last night that while "there is no ban on peat harvesting, it must be compliant with EU law. Pic: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

Deputy Fitzmaurice said there are bogs that can still be used to cut turf. "The coal won't be coming in in the volumes it was and there is no point in saying that it will," he continued. "Whatever bogs are there, they should be opened up.

"[They] should be allowing people for this year or next year to be able to source their own fuel because of the volatile situation that we were living in."

Independent TD Carol Nolan also called for the resumption of peat harvesting to stave off the rising price of fuel. She said: "We need to be logical and we need to have a bit of common sense and go back definitely to using peat until alternatives are found."

A spokesperson for Environment Minister and Green Party leader Mr Ryan said last night that while "there is no ban on peat harvesting, it must be compliant with EU law. Under [EU law], large-scale peat extraction needs both planning permission and EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] licensing, including an assessment of environmental and climate impacts," the spokesperson said.

"We are not aware of any move to change these requirements."