Another fuel-ish move by Government

ENVIRONMENT Minister Eamon Ryan waded into the debate about his plan to ban the sale of turf.

In an attempt to offer clarity, he added more confusion by revealing “if a community is below a certain size, then the regulations won’t apply in that area – typically under 500 people”.

How would this be enforced or policed? The truth is it can’t be.

Instead of saying the first thing that pops into their heads, the government must offer clarity.

That is why today Sinn Fein brings forward a motion to bring transparency to those bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis.

We know it is not possible for the Government to fully insulate people from every price increase during this crisis. But piecemeal measures do not adequately support families and workers, particularly in rural areas.

Inflation is at a 20-year high, with the prices of many essentials expected to continue rising.

The Central Bank said these price increases have a greater impact on rural, low-income and older households.

That makes the plan to ban the sale of turf from September all the more out of touch. The timing could not be worse.

Around two-thirds of homes in the West and North-west rely on home heating oil, which has doubled in price in the last year.

Four per cent of households depend on peat as the main energy source to heat their homes, which rises to 9% of rural households.

Turf has been one of the fuels that has NOT seen prices rise.

Yet ministers are bent on punishing communities who rely on it, instead of supporting them in transitioning away from this form of heating in a way that is fair and sustainable.

Government refusal to take action to assist households with rising home heating oil leaves rural homes even more vulnerable.

This especially affects older people, those on low incomes and many in rural communities.

That is why Sinn Fein today calls on the Government to scrap its plan to ban the sale of turf, to cancel its absurd carbon tax increase and to temporarily remove excise duty from home heating oil.

Those are doable measures to ease the pressure on households as we look to navigate our way through this crisis.

How can this be enforced or policed? In truth, it can’t