Pressure is growing on the Government to reopen Ireland’s bogs as part of its response to the growing fuel crisis.

Independent TD Carol Nolan said the Government should "at a minimum temporarily suspend the current system of regulation that is preventing the large-scale extraction of peat from Ireland’s bogs".

Ms Nolan, who represents the turf-producing heartland of Laois-Offaly, said the scenario where "we have fuel in the bogs while people are freezing in their homes" must end.

Her comments follow those of Fine Gael’s former Justice Minister, Charlie Flanagan, who recently said the resumption of peat harvesting in Finland should pave the way for Ireland to reopen bogs.

While there is no ban on peat harvesting, it must comply with EU laws that require both planning permission and EPA approval, including an assessment of environmental and climate impacts.

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In 2019, Bord na Móna confirmed it would no longer issue licences to commercial contractors.

Ms Nolan said: "The Russian invasion of Ukraine has upended global priorities such as the frantic efforts to decarbonise societies against the express preferences of the majority of ordinary people.

"We are now in the midst of a global energy crisis that looks set to deepen. Government cannot continue to maintain the prohibition on peat extraction."

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice also said that bogs should be reopened to solve the fuel shortage. Their views were echoed by one senior Fine Gael source who said: "The Greens cannot continue to hold the country to ransom. Closing the bogs during an economic crisis is illogical."