{"id":25866,"date":"2022-04-14T09:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T13:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25866"},"modified":"2022-04-15T11:18:03","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T15:18:03","slug":"eamon-ryan-denies-that-ban-of-turf-sales-has-been-postponed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25866","title":{"rendered":"Eamon Ryan Denies That Ban Of Turf Sales Has Been Postponed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Eamon Ryan accused previous governments of \u201cfudging\u201d climate issues (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan has rejected claims that a ban on the sale of turf has been paused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes hours after T\u00e1naiste Leo Varadkar told the Fine Gael parliamentary party that the ban has been put on hold because of rising energy prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed ban on the commercial sale of turf is due to come into force in September, however question marks now hang over the timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Ryan said part of the Government\u2019s climate plan is to tackle air quality issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He accused previous governments of \u201cfudging\u201d the issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard and carries political risk but air pollution leaves 1,300 people a year dying prematurely and I think there is broad agreement we need to address that,\u201d Mr Ryan added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think there is agreement that there is legal certainty that we can only do that with the sort of mechanisms that we went to with public consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMyself and Taoiseach [Miche\u00e1l Martin] and the T\u00e1naiste were talking on Monday night about this and we agreed to come back and get the details right on how we regulate [the turf ban].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not \u201cwe are not going to put your granny in prison for burning turf\u201d, but it is getting it right and air quality improved, which is fundamental to our quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI talked to the T\u00e1naiste again last night and we will work collectively. I am happy we can overcome that difference. We will introduce the regulations and get it right. September is the timeline and it makes sense. It is not paused.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Ryan said there will not be a blanket ban on the use of turf, but it is a measure targeting the point of sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Green Party leader also said tackling climate change cannot be a party political issue. \u201cThe climate issues belongs to every party and community,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecondly, we have learned that a narrative of \u2018I am blaming you, you are the problem or what are you going to do about it\u2019 and shaking your finger at someone, that doesn\u2019t work, people freeze and rightly feel \u2018who are you telling people what to do\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to create the better alternative option and this Government has the plans in place to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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