Turf Cutting
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-19
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Louis O'Hara (SF), Galway East

No help has been provided to the families in this case. I understand that the bogs been designated as SACs. There are significant concerns around how these bogs were designated that I have outlined here before and have written to the Minister of State about, but I still have not received any real explanation. It is important to say that the people who are affected have not accepted payment through the scheme to allow rewetting and so on because they want to continue cutting turf on their bogs. The Government has said that these schemes are voluntary, but the families involved are being forcibly prevented from cutting turf by the Government. I cannot understand how the Government can justify a situation where predominantly elderly people are being left without fuel to heat their homes, especially during an international fuel crisis, not just last winter but also, as seems likely, next winter. That is the consequence of this. I am simply asking the Minister of State to meet with the affected landowners in order to find a solution to this matter. Will he give a commitment that he will facilitate that request and meet with the families affected?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-19