Ban on turf sales is unworkable
Sean Canney, Independent TD for Galway-East, has described the proposed ban on the sale of turf as “unworkable”. He shares his views in this article.
We have hundreds of thousands of homeowners who rely on buying the trailer of turf for heating their homes.
We have many householders who purchase turf on the spread, save it themselves and bring it home.
There is no alternative in place to heat their homes, provide hot water and heating ranges for cooking meals.
Many of these homes are local authority houses. The local authority will need at least a twenty-year time frame to install alternative heating systems.
Ban on turf sales
I have many people living in towns and villages who have no alternative and cannot afford the cost of heat pumps. The pumps will cost in excess of €20,000 after the SEAI grant is paid.
I believe that the government are again bringing in a regulation that is too blunt an instrument. It leaves no time to install alternative heating systems.
If people cannot burn turf, they will have to source imported peat briquettes that we have stopped manufacturing in this country.
We do not have the capacity to replace all solid fuel heating systems in the next 12 months, and the supply of heat pumps are not there to match the numbers that will be required.
This proposal is ill-conceived, and not thought out. It is causing severe stress to homeowners who fear that they will not have heat, hot water or cooking facilities if this regulation can proceed.
I am calling on all like-minded TDs from all parties and non to unite in defence of these homeowners and confine this proposed regulation to the rubbish bin.
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