Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to touch on one area mentioned in the motion, which, naturally enough, is turbary rights and turf. I come from Longford where we had Lough Ree power station and Mount Dillon, which supplied the power station at Shannonbridge. Objections to planning permission for an extension of that caused both of those stations to close and, indeed, the turf production that was supplying them. As a locality, we bought into the just transition. This was due to close down in 2027 and that was accepted by the people. We were working towards that. However, the objections brought everything forward, namely, the closure of the two plants and the closure of Mount Dillon works.

I do not think the proposals recently put forward by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, are acceptable. Approximately 4% of the population burn turf as fuel to heat their water and their homes but in the midlands that figure is more than 20%. Significant funding has been put aside by the Government, with more put forward by the Green Party, to retrofit homes. This is extremely welcome but the reality on the ground is – I know this from my own county of Longford – that there is at least a two-year waiting list for people in Longford for warmer homes scheme. They are the people who are in energy poverty and on the fuel allowance. It is my strong view that we cannot bring in changes that will stop people using turf as a fuel for heating their water and their houses.

One of the proposals put forward was to have a limit on the size of town in which turf could be purchased. For example, and the Minister will be well aware of this, Lanesborough has a population of approximately 1,000 people. Lanesborough is where the Mount Dillon works, which was closed down, is based. It is surrounded by bogland but it is a town in which people would not be able to buy turf while those in Ballyleague, which lies about 150 m across the River Shannon, would be able to do so. This needs to be revisited.

The people in my area of the midlands have bought into just transition. We have not seen jobs on the ground that were meant to come with the just transition because of it being brought forward by six years due to the closures. That should be considered in the context of any changes that are going to be made. I accept changes have to be made but they should not be made until 2027.