Turfed out
Ryan is forced into U-turn on plan to ban peat sales
GREEN Party leader Eamon Ryan has caved in and will allow the limited sale of turf in small rural communities.
He had wanted a complete ban on the sale of the fuel from September.
That led to a furious reaction on the back benches from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail TDS representing rural voters.
Independents and Sinn Fein were also calling for a U-turn on the ban.
But now, the Energy Minister is understood to be proposing to make an exception to the turf ban to allow sales to continue in towns or villages of under 500 people.
The regulations are still in draft form with legislators in the Department of Environment.
Last night the coalition leaders, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Mr Ryan discussed the issue.
Mr Varadkar raised tensions between the triumvirate when he told his own parliamentary party meeting the ban would be paused, but he hadn’t told his partners he would be making this statement.
This afternoon
Mr Ryan will brief backbench TDS on his plans, while two rural
Fine Gael backbenchers Joe
Carey and
Sean Kyne will be giving a press conference on the issue. And this evening Sinn Fein will use their Private Members’ time to put forward a Bill calling for the ban to be scrapped.
Speaking in the Irish Independent yesterday, Mr Ryan said: “If a community is below a certain size, then the regulations won’t apply in that area – typically under 500 people.
“I think this clarification will overcome a lot of the fears that have been expressed over the last few weeks.”
Fianna Fail TD for Offaly Barry Cowen believes small retailers should continue to be allowed to sell turf.
He said Mr Ryan’s revised plans “do little to assure many vulnerable households, who can’t unfortunately move at the pace of transition we’d like, of our understanding of their predicament”.
Sinn Fein’s Claire Kerrane added: “The timing and introduction of this turf ban could not be worse, considering the cost of living, fuel and energy crisis. “Some Government TDS have created confusion by giving mixed messages on if this ban will go ahead in September.
“The Government cannot talk out of both sides of its mouth.
“Rural communities need clarity and this motion will give them that
clarity.”
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