FOR PEAT’S SAKE RYAN
Minister is blasted for failing to do his homework over briquette emissions
GREEN Party leader Eamon Ryan was left red-faced after querying whether peat briquettes should also be included in a ban on smoky fuels from September.
Bord na Mona has already said its briquettes will comply with the 10 grams per hour emissions rate.
Speaking in the Dail on Thursday during a motion about the sale and distribution of turf put forward by Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, Minister Ryan raised his concern about the compliance of the product.
He said: “I’ll be perfectly honest, I’ve been looking at the science there to make sure, are we absolutely certain that those peat briquettes, because of the way they’re processed, because of the way they burn, are below the 10 micrograms of pollution that’s put out into the atmosphere?
“We have to be straight about that and make sure that it is the case.”
Mr Ryan added that regulations would have to be introduced in the autumn for smoky coal “because we don’t want to go through another winter, particularly if it’s a cold winter, where people are dying unnecessarily”.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen said if Minister Ryan had checked with Bord na Mona, he would have been informed that the level of emissions from briquettes are compliant.
He added: “If he had done that he wouldn’t then have given an indication that possibly briquette factories would close two years ahead of the programme closure anyway thus frightening and worrying employees, communities and regions.
COMMITMENTS
“Undoubtedly he’s well intentioned and genuine in his own beliefs and commitments to respond to the public health concerns, worries and fears as we all are.”
The Government is currently in the middle of a consultation process with the European Commission which is examining draft regulations on solid fuels.
Minister Ryan said: “We may have to go back and talk to them again and we will, because we are going to have to amend them.
“But we will get that right and we will introduce it in the autumn in a way that allows us get that balance right.”
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has ruled out banning peat briquettes in upcoming regulations on smoky coal.
Asked whether householders can burn them this winter, Mr Martin said: “I think first of all the main target here is smoky coal, that is the key target.
“There are legal issues then about how one goes about doing that in respect of other fuels. “In terms of the specifics of that, the Minister has been working with the other parties leaders and the Attorney General also in terms of any regulations that would come forward to give effect to a ban on smoky coal, the impact that would have on the retail sale of turf with timber for example.”
I’ve been looking at the science to make sure we are certain
EAMON RYAN
THURSDAY IN THE DAIL