Turf ban is a ‘Green’ war on rural life in Ireland
ANOTHER ‘rural revolt’ could be on the way after it emerged this week that Green Party Minister, Eamon Ryan, is to ban the sale and distribution of turf from September 1 next.
Roscommon-Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice – who is also Chairperson of the Turfcutters and Contractors Association – this week branded the proposed restriction as ‘lunacy’.
"Are we going down the road where if a person with an elderly neighbour supplies them with a load of turf for free, or at cost, that they could be ‘done’ for distributing turf.
“Are we really going to label generous neighbours the same way we do drug dealers: possession with intent to supply. Minister Ryan’s approach on this issue is nothing short of lunacy,” said Deputy Fitzmaurice.
It emerged in the Dáil last week that Minister Ryan is going ahead with his turf sales ban from September 1 next, following a question tabled by Kerry Fine Gael TD, Brendan Griffin.
The proposal though seems likely to ignite an angry reaction amongst rural Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs who will be under huge pressure from constituents to oppose the move.
Over the generations, there has been a long-standing practice in rural Ireland of turf being sold to people who don’t have their own turf banks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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