156. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue an order to allow the cutting of turf at bogs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36514/26]

Sentiment score: 0.04

Will the Minister of State issue an order to allow the cutting of turf at Ardgraigue, Clonmoylan and Barroughter bogs in County Galway? Many representations have been made by other elected representatives and me on this so I imagine the Minister of State will be aware of the situation there.

Sentiment score: 0.05

In early 2025, a local turf cutting contractor was served with a High Court injunction to cease the harvesting of turf. As a result of this action, many local people who rely on turf to heat their homes were left without a supply for last winter. As we are currently in the turf cutting season, these families are facing the same issue due to the fact that there is no contractor to cut their turf because the injunction remains in place. Approximately 40 families are affected. What is happening is causing significant distress. Many of them are elderly. They have cut turf in these bogs for years, rely on this fuel to heat their homes, are watching their supplies dwindle and have no affordable alternative. Under the existing legislation, the families could be allowed to harvest the turf if the Minister of State signed an order. On behalf of the affected families, I ask him to do that or, at the very least, to meet with them, discuss the issue and try to find a resolution to it. I cannot emphasise enough the distress that this is causing and the anger that is felt by these families, who have not signed up to the scheme the Minister of State mentioned earlier.

Sentiment score: -0.27

No help has been provided to the families in this case. I understand that the bogs been designated as SACs. There are significant concerns around how these bogs were designated that I have outlined here before and have written to the Minister of State about, but I still have not received any real explanation. It is important to say that the people who are affected have not accepted payment through the scheme to allow rewetting and so on because they want to continue cutting turf on their bogs. The Government has said that these schemes are voluntary, but the families involved are being forcibly prevented from cutting turf by the Government. I cannot understand how the Government can justify a situation where predominantly elderly people are being left without fuel to heat their homes, especially during an international fuel crisis, not just last winter but also, as seems likely, next winter. That is the consequence of this. I am simply asking the Minister of State to meet with the affected landowners in order to find a solution to this matter. Will he give a commitment that he will facilitate that request and meet with the families affected?

Sentiment score: 0.02