Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley has called for “a proportionate response” to the turf cutting regulations.
A potentially serious rift between the Government parties over the sale of turf was partially allayed on Tuesday after a robust meeting between Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan and Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators.
The Green Party leader’s proposed regulations to ban the commercial sale of turf from September caused furore within ranks of coalition partners Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with Ministers and backbenchers expressing anger at the decision.
At the meeting, Fianna Fáil parliamentarians told Mr Ryan he could not proceed with the regulations as planned, and even the compromise of allowing existing practices to continue in communities of 500 people or less would not be practicable.
On Wednesday, Mr Dooley told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show. There needed to be incentives for people to move away from solid fuels.
Mr Dooley denied that the parliamentary party meeting on the issue had been fractious. It had been “business like” he said and he believed that an agreement could be reached.
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice urged the Government to postpone restrictions for “10 to 12 years” by which time the “dying tradition” would no longer be an issue.
“We need to put things in perspective” he said. With the war in Ukraine and Russia halting gas supply to Europe and subsequent shortages “this is not the time to go rattling people”.
It would take time for homes that use solid fuel at present to convert to alternatives. “you cannot do everything overnight. There needs to be a just transition. He said he agreed with Mr Dooley that it was not necessary to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
As the retrofitting scheme was rolled out, people will have chosen and moved away from solid fuel, he said.
“This is not the time to be doing it.”