Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today the Dáil will vote on Sinn Féin's motion to stop the ban on the sale of turf. The Taoiseach has indicated that it is his intention to vote against the motion. He will do this despite the frustration felt right across rural communities. He will do it despite the fact that he could not even convince his own backbenchers of the merits of the plan. He will do it despite the fact that people in rural Ireland, particularly older people and people on lower incomes with no alternative, will struggle badly.

I want to ask the Taoiseach again not to proceed with this and for good sense, for common sense, to prevail. This ban is the wrong move at the wrong time. It is unfair, it alienates communities and it will be unworkable. I ask the Taoiseach to do what he has not done thus far and to give an assurance that he will ditch this plan.

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