Taoiseach Micheal Martin accused of ‘drinking too much green tea’ during Dail debate on proposed turf sale ban
TAOISEACH Micheal Martin is “drinking too much green tea and it’s going to your head”, the Dail heard after a debate on the proposed ban on the sale of turf took a bizarre twist.
Eamon Ryan and Micheal Martin moved to turn down the heat on the turf war that has rocked the Coalition with Fine Gael and Green Party TDs openly feuding on the issue.
Green Party leader Ryan had proposed to ban the commercial sale of turf across the country from September in a bid to lower air pollution which he says is resulting in more than 1,000 deaths a year in Ireland.
However, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs are adamantly against the move with tens of thousands of homes across the country still burning turf to heat their homes.
Minister Ryan met with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail TDs and Senators today in a bid to allay their fears about the proposed ban.
Speaking before the meeting, Fine Gael’s Joe Carey said the proposed date for the ban to start in September is “absolutely premature” as he confessed that the Government parties are “at loggerheads” on the issue.
READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS
He said: “We have an issue with this. The backbenchers have an issue particularly in rural Ireland along the west coast and midlands area.
“We can’t just lie down and let something happen that we’re absolutely opposed to. You’re hitting people here on modest incomes, who have no alternatives and it is being rushed.”
Shortly afterwards, Green TD Neasa Hourigan took a shot back at Fine Gael when she accused the party of refusing to act on air pollution for ten years as she called for the ban to be implemented with targeted supports to help households move away from turf.
She said: “In the next few months we’re going to have to see some targeted measures for lower income households, that’s the way to deal with the removal of fossil fuels not to continue to poison people and their children by burning turf.
Most read in The Irish Sun
“I think we should go ahead and I think for rural communities to lift their voice and say that is one thing but for Fine Gael politicians who refused to act for ten years is not acceptable.”
Sinn Fein proposed a Dail motion to scrap the proposed turf ban but Taoiseach Micheal Martin moved to allay concerns as he revealed “anything that is being proposed will have no impact this winter in any shape or form.”
He said: “It is being made crystal clear that people who have bogs who normally cut their turf will continue to be able to do that.
“They will continue to be able to share that with their neighbours and the traditional practices in rural Ireland will continue in relation to turf.”
The Dail debate on the turf ban then took a bizarre turn when Independent TD Mattie McGrath shouted at the Taoiseach from across the Chamber: “You’re drinking too much green tea, it’s going to your head.”
Micheal Martin broke out in laughter at the comment and again stated that people in rural Ireland will not be stopped from using their own turf.
