Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to ban the sale of imported peat briquettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44409/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Each year 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to solid fuel burning. I am committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge through enhanced regulation of all solid fuels. New emissions standards are being introduced across a range of fuels to ensure that the most polluting will no longer be available for sale on the Irish market.  Introducing these standards will improve the quality of the air that we breathe, and the health of the public that we serve. From September 2022, coal, coal-based products, any manufactured solid fuel or peat productswill be required to have a smoke emission rate of less than 10g/hour, reducing to 5g/hr by 2025. In order for such fuels, including peat briquettes imported or otherwise, to be placed on the Irish market, they must comply with these standards.

It should be noted that like any other solid fuel, imports of peat briquettes and lignite (coal) briquettes are permitted under international trade agreements and no restrictions on the import, sale or use of such briquettes are being proposed once the standards provided for under the new regulations have been met.