Ban on sale of turf 'unrealistic' for rural households according to Irish Rural Link

Irish Rural Link (IRL), have raised concern about the announcement by Minister for Environment, Eamon Ryan that a ban will be introduced on the sale of turf from this coming September.

According to IRL, this is heightening fear among rural households, especially older people and those on low income who continue to rely on turf to heat their homes, and for some the only form of heat source.

While those who have turbary rights can continue to use their own turf, there are many households who purchase this from local turf cutters or can only afford to buy turf by the bag each week. With the continued rising cost of home heating oil and other solid fuels, this will put added financial pressure on low-income households.

IRL fear that the reduction in VAT and the PSO on energy bills will not go far enough for a lot of rural families who were already struggling financially and will push more families and households into fuel poverty.

"We welcome the increase in the fuel allowance payment however, the number of households eligible for this payment is limited and we would call for the eligibility criteria be extended."

"When there is a war in Europe and prices of home-heating oil and other solid fuels expected to continue to increase, now is not the time to introduce a ban on the only heating source for many rural households and push them further into fuel poverty."

ICSA Rural Development chair Tim Farrell has said there is simply no justification for making criminals of ordinary people by prohibiting the sale or distribution of turf. “While those with cutting rights will be permitted use turf for their own domestic consumption, from September of this year it will be illegal to gift or sell any amount of turf to neighbours and friends. It beggars’ belief,” he said.

“Vilifying any individual for helping family members, neighbours and friends keep their homes warm is a step too far especially amid spiralling energy costs. Those living in rural Ireland are already being hammered with over-the-top rules and regulations about burning green waste, and now this. It all adds up to the Government being totally out of touch with the practical realities of managing hedges and trees on farms, as well as the use of basic amounts of turf for domestic purposes.”

“For the people of rural Ireland, the reality of dealing with the ever-increasing burden of bureaucratic nonsense supposedly designed to save the planet is becoming too much to bear. It is becoming more and more clear that what people in the rural population are being asked to do really has very little to do with the problem. In the meantime, this Government is continuing to drag their heels on the genuine solutions like incentivising every farmer to cover shed roofs with solar panels or developing the renewable biogas and biofuel sectors.”