Household turf cutters protections demanded in midlands

Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley has called for “domestic turf cutters" to be protected, following a meeting with Bord na Móna's top brass this week.

The TD was among a number of midlands politicians to meet with the Chief Executive of Bord na Móna Tom Donnellan who briefed them on the impact of the 2019 High Court Case on peat extraction operations.

Laois Offaly TD Stanley said the ruling is a concern to households who depend on turf from Bord na Móna bogs as a fuel.

“We are facing into another turf cutting season with hundreds of households in both counties, who are dependent on fuel from Bord na Mona owned turf banks, are at risk of not being able to cut this year. The 2019 High Court ruling that forced Bord na Mona to cease commercial peat harvesting is also causing problems for small scale domestic turf cutters. Those who owned their turf banks or who have turbary rights are unaffected.

"However, hundreds of turf cutters, some of whom are former Bord na Mona workers are now being told they can’t cut as their banks are owned by Bord na Mona and therefore come under court ruling," he said.

The TD outlined what he said to the management.

"I made the case that solutions must to be found to resolve this issue as most of the households affected cannot afford the €40 - €60K to retrofit their homes. A lot of their homes are not suitable for retrofitting.’’

“I also put it to Tom Donnellan that Bord na Mona where possible should try and relocate cutters to suitable turf banks as some of these moved off other turf banks in the past, which they had rights to, to facilitate Bord na Mona harvesting. I also requested that the companies legal advisors would re-examine the outcome of the 2019 ruling to ascertain if domestic turf cutting can continue under licence or some other means on their bogs,’’ he said.

The Laois TD said the CEO committed to revisit this, and also the suggestion that the small scale turf cutters could be facilitated by way of being formed into local groups or associations. Dep Stanley added that the management is also to examine all these options and to engage in a process with turf cutters and representatives to find solutions on each of the relevant to local bogs.