Offaly Minister says 'gifting' turf should be allowed as Greens clarify position on ban

SUPPLYING small amounts of turf to neighbours, either by selling it or giving it free of charge, will not be banned, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said on Sunday.

Minister Ryan gave an update on the draft solid fuel regulations after his Green Party colleague, Minister of State Pippa Hackett, said on Saturday she was against a ban on “gifting” turf being included in the proposed rules.

The Geashill-based senator said a previous statement from Minister Ryan in response to a parliamentary question (PQ) was “misleading” because it did not refer to the proposals for a turf sale ban as “draft” and did not say that public consultation is still ongoing.

“I'm from Co Offaly and fully aware what it means for people on the ground and it is important that we take into account that. When you look at the regulations they do propose at the moment that turbary rights are protected and I think that is only right, that is very important,” said Minister Hackett.

“But I do think there does need to be some sort of - in the final regulations - some sort of allowance for those who don't have a turbary right but only use a small amount or for very rural areas. That's the point, this is about air quality, mainly in urban settings.”

Asked if she agreed people with turbary rights should be allowed drop in a few buckets of turf to neighbours or relatives, she replied: “I think there should be a removal of any ban on that gifting or anything like that. We are talking small level. The Government and State aren't going to come down on elderly neighbours for a few bags of turf. I think that's scaremongering that's out there.”

She added: “We do need clarity on that and I do want to see the removal of that ban on gifting of turf and a few bags here and there is not going to be any other issue.”

Minister Hackett said the focus should be on the commercial sale of smoky fuels, including turf, “into urban settings”.

“I think that's the biggest point and I think we do have to be strong on that. I do want to see allowances though for people who don't have turbary rights who live in very rural areas.”

She stressed the important issues were public health and clean air and said the Irish Heart Foundation and the Asthma Society supported regulations.

She also said the Government may need to “step in” and offer alternatives to those “on low incomes who traditionally purchase what is a very cheap fuel” but said many turf users will have bought their fuel in bulk before the regulations are in place in September so will not be affected “until next winter”.

“We have no choice about the air we can breathe. We have some choice about what we can burn and it's up to us, as a government, to come up with the solutions to support those people who are most in need, who are most at risk of fuel poverty.”

In a statement released after the radio interview, the junior minister repeated that she was not in favour of a ban on small scale gifting of turf and said she had asked Minister Ryan to clarify the situation in relation to the distribution of small amounts of turf to family members and neighbours, where there are turbary rights.

“I am in favour of a ban on commercial scale extraction and sale of turf as this contributes to air pollution in the more urban areas,” she said.

“I know that many households in the Midlands, and most of all Offaly, rely on turf from these providers and I have asked Minister Ryan and my Government colleagues to consider solutions to this in advance of the coming winter.”

She said the draft clean air strategy recognised cutting turf for burning in people's own homes is a traditional activity but measures are required to reduce the emissions but which respect those traditions.

“No ban on its burning will be introduced, but a regulatory provision will be made to prohibit the marketing, sale or distribution of sod peat. This approach will facilitate those with turbary rights to continue to cut and burn sod peat for their own domestic purposes, while also reducing the use of sod peat in urban areas.

“I agree with this approach to include allowances for small scale distribution to family and neighbours in rural areas. Living in Offaly I am fully aware of the impact an all out ban on burning would have on households already to the pin of their collar.”

She urged people to check the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance and home energy upgrades.

“I say all of the above aware of the necessary and urgent need to conserve and restore or rehabilitate as much of our bogland as possible in our struggle to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.”

The following day Minister Ryan said the draft smoky fuel regulations had “always been about getting the balance right between tackling fuel poverty and protecting people’s health”.

He said their main aim is to “end the large scale and commercial sale of smoky fuels into urban areas, not the traditional burning of turf in rural areas”.

“Under the regulations, households in small villages and one-off houses would still be allowed to burn turf, or gift or sell a few bags to neighbours. Misinformation otherwise is scaremongering,” said Minister Ryan.

“We will focus on the people who will be affected most by the regulations - in particular low income households who rely on turf as a cheap but inefficient form of fuel with targeted retrofitting and ongoing social welfare supports.”

Last week Offaly Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen said those who buy their turf should be treated the same as those who burn from their own plot.

“Minister Ryan's proposal doesn't necessarily make that distinction and it should and has to. Whatever about the sale in retail outlets, or in filling stations etc, or the side of the road, I've no problem per se with that. But it's those households and those cutters that must be accommodated and not cut adrift which there's no doubt, the proposals, as I've seen in response to that PQ certainly do,” said Deputy Cowen.

In a further statement at the weekend, Deputy Cowen said he had been responding to climate change and gave the example of helping to secure funding from Europe becasue of the early closure of Shannonbridge power station.

“Not only would Minister Ryan’s turf sale ban unnecessarily impact on a diminishing but vulnerable cohort, it would undermine much work undertaken in ensuring our region is adequately funded to respond to recent years of accelerated decarbonisation,” he said.

He explained that he went to the EU Commission with Cllr Eamon Dooley and “fought and won” a case for funding the peat regions.

“Subsequently, €80 million was provided which is matched from proceeds within carbon tax increased revenue. So €160 million.”

He claimed Minister Ryan's proposals undermine the work being done to assist with the transition from peat.