Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, told the Dáil last week that, out of respect for the House, he planned to publish before the summer break the regulations banning the sale of turf. We still have not seen those regulations. We are told the Cabinet has approved the new restrictions. Are we going to see them before the break? Will we have an opportunity to debate them? Have Fianna Fáil backbenchers seen them? Does the Taoiseach's party intend to support this proposition? Given his acknowledgement that the cost-of-living crisis will continue for some time, does he really believe this is an appropriate time to prevent people who have no affordable alternative from purchasing turf to heat their homes? Why does he refuse to do the one thing that is proven to reduce turf use, which is to provide households with affordable alternative sources of heating?

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