Banning the use of turf and timber for heating homes is a major change and considerable time will be needed for people to adjust, according to Cllr Paddy Hill, who spoke on the matter at last Friday’s County Council SPC meeting on Environment, Climate Action, Water and Emergency Services.
New regulations in relation to the burning of peat and timber would need to be implemented over a number of years to give people time to make what is a major change, Cllr Hill felt.
“It alarms me a little to have heard about the banning of turf and timber (fires). People, particularly in the older communities, will be concerned because there is not a parish in Ireland that does not go to the bog and produce turf; cheap fuel for themselves and their families,” he said.
Many of those people would not be able to afford another way of heating their homes and that gives me quite an amount of concern.”
Ironically, while Bord Na Mona have stopped producing briquettes, Ireland is importing that very fuel from Poland and Germany, according to Cllr Hill, who felt it is unfortunate that elderly people can no longer get the traditional bale of briquettes in the local shop.
“I just begin to wonder are we going too far, too fast? It’s something we have to take into consideration,” he added.
Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Frank McDermott agreed, cautioning that it will take some time to make such a change.
“When you try to change a well-respected tradition like owning your own turf, or cutting your hedge, clearing and tidying up your own farm and enjoying the heat when it’s needed … (you need time to adjust),” he remarked.
GRANTS INADEQUATE
Cllr. Hill also suggested that the grants available for insulation of houses are inadequate and need to be increased. “There would need to be quite an increase on the grant aid that is available to people,” he suggested.
Rural residents in homes that were built in the 1940s and ‘50s would need a lot of financial aid to bring their dwellings up to standard, he noted.
McDermott supports extension on hedge cutting
Cllr Frank McDermott is fully supportive of efforts to have the cut-off date for hedge cutting extended beyond February.
Given the inclement weather and the wet conditions of land, it would greatly benefit farmers, he felt.
“I see that the Irish Contractors Association wanted to get an extension of the hedge cutting for 16 days at the end of February and that is something that I would support vigorously,” he said.
“Every farmer that has been around for the last 30 years, knows that, even with wellingtons, you could very well get your socks wet very handy! Certainly, in fairness, to do a job and to allow farmers to do what they are good at, maintaining their land and their farm, I think we should support that,” he added.
