Eamon Ryan: Still no Government agreement on ban on sale of turf 

Environment minister admits he may have inadvertently misled the Dáil

The Minister for Environment, Eamon Ryan confirmed the  Government has still not agreed on whether or not the sale of turf will be banned. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Government has still not agreed on whether or not the sale of turf will be banned, Eamon Ryan has confirmed.

The Minister for Environment said the Dáil question answered in his name confirming the ban on sale of turf from September was based on draft regulations. He confirmed he had inadvertently misled the Dáil.

“They were draft regulations, it wasn’t completed,” he told Newstalk radio. “It should have said draft, it should have put the word draft in front of it. It was open and transparent that we were engaged in the consultation process, one that started a year and a half ago, where we went to public consultation last September..

“We are absolutely upfront that we would have to go to Government before we sign off on anything. But I believe there is broad agreement. I'll talk to all the parties next week as well as in the Dáil.” 

Concerns

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party that the plans, which are set to ban the commercial sale of turf from September, had been put on pause while a full examination was carried out. However, just hours later, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said no such pause had been agreed.

A number of members of the Government moved to clarify that those with a right to cut turf would still be allowed to do so and could also continue to sell small amounts to neighbours.

Members of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have raised serious concerns around the proposed ban. Fianna Fáil's Barry Cowen has sought a meeting with Mr Ryan on the matter when the Dáil returns this week.

Sinn Féin will put forward a motion on Tuesday afternoon calling on the government to scrap its plans to ban the sale of turf from next September.

Agriculture spokesperson Matt Carthy said the motion will help families struggling with costs amid a rise in inflation.

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