Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Seanad amendment No. 13 is an Opposition amendment from the Seanad. The Bill, as passed by the Seanad, contained a new section as a result of amendment No. 13. This new section provides that the Minister will, within 12 months of the passing of the Bill, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas containing guidelines and recommended thresholds in relation to the exercise of turbary rights including a definition, or definitions, of "household use".

The intention behind this amendment, I understand, was to draw a distinction between commercial turf harvesting and turf extracted for household use. The then Minister indicated that he would accept the amendment subject to further consideration. I accept the general thrust of this amendment but some changes are required. It is proposed under counter amendment 13cto amend this amendment to provide that within 12 months of the coming into operation of section 5, the Minister will prepare a report on the average amount of turf required by an individual on an annual basis for the purpose of household use. This change is based on legal advice to reflect household use rather than the exercise of turbary rights, which can be wider than household

use, for example, if exercising turbary rights over someone else's land.

The report to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas would be on the average amount of turf required by an individual on an annual basis for the purpose of household use rather than containing guidelines and recommended thresholds in relation to the exercise of turbary rights. This report will help to inform policy and approach to the cutting of turf for household use.

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