'Common sense' solution on turf cutting welcomed as solid fuel regulations are agreed

People with turf cutting rights will still be able to cut turf for their own use and will also be able to gift or sell it under new draft regulations on solid fuels in Ireland. 

Those with turbary rights and all other customary practices in respect of turf will be unaffected by new draft regulations.

They will continue to be able to cut turf for their own use and will retain the ability to gift or sell turf.

However, no sale of turf may take place by way of the internet or other media (i.e. advertising in local press), or from retail premises.

The Government has now agreed the draft regulations on solid fuels in Ireland.

The primary focus of the draft regulations is on the large-scale, commercial sale of smoky fuels, including smoky coal, turf and wet wood.

A government spokesperson said these fuels are proven to be a major contributor to air pollution in Ireland.

Now that regulations have been agreed by Government they will submitted to the European Commission under the Technical Standards Directive notification procedure.

The purpose of this procedure is to allow the Commission an opportunity to examine the new technical standards from an internal market perspective.

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This is a three-month process, following which the regulations will come into effect on 31st October. During this period the Department will be engaging extensively with industry and with retailers to provide them with the guidance and information necessary to ensure that all solid fuel placed on the Irish market meets the standards required by the new regulations from  October 31st.

Deputy Charlie Flanagan welcomed the draft legislation. 

"Today the Government has found a common sense solution on the issue of turf. I am pleased the revised regulations will protect traditional turf cutting practices and allow those who have traditionally cut, shared, and sold turf to continue to do so. This is so important to many communities," he said.

“I’m glad we could come to this agreement with our Government partners. We’re confident this solution will protect and extend the current smoky coal ban, while allowing for traditional practices to continue," he said. 

 He added that they must not stop customs that date back centuries, when people do not have other alternatives.

“There is no ban on burning turf by anyone in the country. The previously mooted restriction on use only in towns or villages of population of 500 has also been removed," Deputy Flanagan said. 

“The Government has also put a range of policies and measures in place to support households that are at risk of energy poverty. These measures supplement lower income households through the Fuel Allowance, the Household Benefits Package and other payments, as well as providing free energy efficiency upgrades through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland schemes and the Social Housing retrofitting programme. 

"This year, 58% (€203 million) of the total Government retrofit budget of €352 million will be spent on dedicated energy poverty retrofit supports and local authority retrofits,” Deputy Flanagan concluded.