New turf sale rules to take effect this year

New Government regulations on solid fuels, which will allow existing turf-cutting rights to continue but will ban the commercial sale of turf, look set to come into effect at the end of October after being agreed by the Government this week.

Under the draft regulations, people with turbary rights will continue to be able to cut turf for their own use and will retain the ability to gift or sell turf to others.

However, the sale of turf from retail premises will not be allowed and people will be prohibited from advertising turf for sale either online or through other media such as local newspapers. The draft regulations will also ban the sale of 'smoky coal' throughout the country.

The solid fuel regulations have been welcomed by Offaly Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who said they were "a balanced and considered solution," that would "allow people in the Midlands who have traditionally relied on turf to continue to do so."

The Green Party representative said there had been "speculation and scaremongering" about these draft regulations earlier in the year.

She said the agreed regulations offered "a balance between protecting public health and allowing people continued access to traditional forms of fuel."

Minister Hackett said the smoke generated from the burning of turf was harmful, but she acknowledged there was "a long-standing reliance" on this fuel source in the Midlands.

"There is no doubt that the smoke from turf is harmful, and that burning it is an inefficient and unsustainable way of heating a home.

"However, particularly in the Midlands, there is a long-standing reliance on it, and the regulations agreed by Government recognise that."

Westmeath Fine Gael TD and Minister of State Peter Buke said his party had forced a "Green Party climb down" on the turf issue, claiming that Eamon Ryan's party had previously sought a ban on turf burning in certain areas.

"We had a heated Dáil debate earlier in the year regarding regulations which proposed to ban the sale or gifting of turf, which to me was an unexpected and very unwelcome development.

"Fine Gael called in Minister Eamon Ryan to our parliamentary party meeting on the issue and highlighted our very real concerns.

"While we continue to take action to tackle the climate crisis, where there are no viable alternatives, those in Westmeath and other midland counties cannot be left without access to fuel. Retrofitting is taking place but for the present moment, it is out of the question that the burning of turf would be in any ways limited.

"I led a group in Fine Gael who worked on and proposed revised regulations and I am glad these have now been agreed by all three parties in Government," said Minister of State Burke.

Longford Senator Micheál Carrigy also said the new regulations were "a reasonable solution" to the turf issue.

"I am pleased that the revised regulations will protect traditional turf-cutting practices and allow those who have traditionally cut, shared and sold turf to continue to do so.

"I do recognise the effect of poor air quality on people’s health and wellbeing and I welcome the role these regulations will play in helping to improve air quality and public health.

"However, we must make sure we are not stopping customs that date back centuries, when people do not have other alternatives," Senator Carrigy commented.

A different view was expressed by Independent Offaly TD Carol Nolan, who pointed out that, in addition to restrictions on turf sales, the regulations would prohibit the sale of wood logs which do not have a moisture content of 25% or less.

Deputy Nolan said it was her opinion that most people in rural Ireland would react with "bewildered incredulity at the farcical requirements and the new prohibitions" that were being introduced.

"These new regulations are a complete and utter cave in by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael party members to a, quite frankly, bizarre nanny-state agenda that appears determined to infantilise rural Ireland," Deputy Nolan said.

"Indeed, I would go further and suggest that what we are witnessing here is precisely the kind of creeping criminalisation that I predicted would happen over the lifetime of this Government.

"Minister Eamon Ryan can say all he likes that people with turbary rights and all other customary practices in respect of turf will be unaffected by these draft regulations, but no one with an ounce of cop-on believes that this position will be maintained now that the principle has been accepted that turf, and even wood logs for heaven’s sake, are basically public enemy number 1 in rural Ireland."

A statement issued by the Government said the primary focus of the draft regulations was on "the large-scale, commercial sale of smoky fuels, including smoky coal, turf and wet wood."

Minister of State Hackett described the nationwide ban on smoky coal as "very welcome" and said it was something previous Governments had failed to do.

The fact that the draft regulations maintained existing turbary rights was welcomed by Seamus Boland, the CEO of the Moate-based Irish Rural Link group.

"(The regulations are) a step back from the brink. This is a common sense decision. I think we should welcome it and should redouble our efforts to try and create a long-term solution," he commented.

Under the regulations, new health standards for solid fuels will apply from October 31 this year.

The Government said the draft solid fuel regulations had been developed following "intense work over a number of years," which included a public consultation that attracted more than 3,500 responses, as well as "significant" engagement with stakeholders.

It said poor air quality was "a leading cause of premature deaths" and that regulations on solid fuel usage were "a recognised means of addressing this".