Turf Cutting
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-07
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Louis O'Hara (SF), Galway East

I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate it is not her Department. However, it is deeply disappointing we do not have any clarity on what is going to happen in terms of supports for households, if anything, once these payments end. I have outlined the situation where families are no longer going to be receiving a compensation payment while not being allowed to cut turf in their bogs and we know we have a real crisis in terms of energy poverty and so on in this country at the moment. It is very concerning and many constituents have been in touch with me about this. They have not been able to get any clarity and I cannot provide any clarity to them either because of the lack of response coming from the Government.
At least if clarity could be provided that a continuation of the scheme or an alternative was being considered, that would provide some reassurance to people. That is the bare minimum families should expect because they should continue to be compensated for not being allowed to cut turf in their bogs because that has a very significant impact on them.
This situation demonstrates a broader failure of the Government to engage with turf cutting communities. One issue I have raised a number of times is the situation in Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs in south-east Galway. I raised it with one of the Minister of State's colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. Again, I would ask that he engages with the families impacted. In that case, there has been no effort to do that so far. In order to find a solution on that issue, the Minister of State might pass that feedback on to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, as well.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-07