Government position on peat extraction amounts to Mercosur for the midlands
11-05-2026
Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan TD has strongly criticised the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment’s, Darragh O’Brien, for his what she terms his “complete failure to answer her parliamentary question on whether it is now Government policy to cease all commercial peat extraction.”
Deputy Nolan said the question was asked directly in light of the Taoiseach’s own statement to her in the Dáil that “the trajectory of travel has been trying to wean ourselves off commercial extraction of peat.”
However, the Offaly TD says that “the Minister’s reply contains no explicit confirmation, no denial, and no assurance whatsoever that commercial peat production will continue. Instead, the Minister simply listed an ever-growing thicket of planning rules, Environmental Impact Assessments, Appropriate Assessments, Integrated Pollution Control licences and EPA enforcement actions.”
“This is the clearest possible admission that peat extraction is being subjected to death by a thousand regulatory cuts,” said Deputy Nolan.
“Once again the Minister and by extension the Government, since this directly relates to the Taoiseach, has refused to be honest with the Irish people.”
“There is not one word in this reply that gives any comfort to workers, families or communities who depend on peat production.”
“The unspoken but obvious policy of this Government is to phase out commercial peat extraction entirely, while pretending otherwise in public. The people of rural Ireland, especially in the midlands, deserve straight answers. They deserve to be told the truth; that this Government’s end goal is to shut down domestic peat production and force us into even deeper reliance on imported peat and fossil fuels.”
“As I have said before, that is not environmental policy, it is extreme ideological incoherence dressed up as climate action.”
“We are closing down a strategic indigenous industry that provides energy security and employment, only to replace it with imports from countries with far weaker environmental standards.”
“It is Mercosur for the midlands.”
“The Minister’s refusal to give a straight answer today proves the Government knows how unpopular this agenda is, so they are trying to implement it by stealth. I am calling on the Minister and the Taoiseach to come clean. Be upfront with the people. If the policy is to end commercial peat extraction, say so openly instead of hiding behind bureaucratic language and regulatory creep,” concluded Deputy Nolan.
ENDS
Note to Editor:
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For Written Answer on : 07/05/2026
Question Number(s): 166 Question Reference(s): 33554/26
Department: Climate, Energy and the Environment
Asked by: Carol Nolan T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Climate; Energy and the Environment if he will confirm, following remarks by the Taoiseach (details supplied), that it is the policy of his Department and the policy of Government to cease all commercial extraction of peat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) Taoiseach “The trajectory of travel has been trying to wean ourselves off commercial extraction of peat.”
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2026-04-15/11/#
REPLY
Commercial peat extraction continues to be a regulated activity. My Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service commissioned a guidance document The Regulatory Framework Applying to Peat Extraction – A Guidance Document which is available on gov.ie.
This document contains information regarding the regulatory framework (primarily that aspect which relates to the Planning System) which applies to peat extraction. Planning policy and legislation in that regard are matters for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
In summary:
- For peat extraction on an area of less than 30 Ha, planning permission from the relevant local authority and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) may be required (e.g. if the extraction is likely to have a significant effect on the environment). Appropriate Assessment (AA) is required if peat extraction could have a significant effect on a protected area.
- For peat extraction on an area between 30 to 50 Ha, planning permission from the relevant local authority and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. Appropriate Assessment (AA) is also required if peat extraction could have a significant effect on a protected area.
- For peat extraction from on an area greater than 50 Ha, the extraction needs an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) as well as planning permission from the relevant local authority. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. Appropriate Assessment (AA) is required if peat extraction could have a significant effect on a protected area.
As set out above, in addition to planning permission, the extraction of peat in areas over 50 Hectares requires an IPC licence from the Agency. The Agency is an independent public body established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and is entirely independent in the exercise of its functions, including enforcement, under that Act.
The Agency provides details of its enforcement action on its website, including the Agency’s Large Scale Illegal Peat Extraction report from June 2025. The Agency has also noted on its website that it has carried out a significant number of site inspections and inspection reports can be viewed at www.epa.ie.