EU Commission Refers Ireland to Court Over Insufficient Peat Cutting Enforcement

The European Commission has referred Ireland to the EU’s Court of Justice for failing to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive regarding peat cutting. This directive mandates environmental assessments for projects with significant negative impacts, including peat extraction.

Ireland amended its legislation to implement the directive but did not follow through with an enforcement plan, leading to unregulated peat cutting. The Commission issued a formal notice in July 2019 and a reasoned opinion in July 2020, noting significant ongoing activities without proper assessments or planning permissions.

While Ireland has taken action since July 2020 to halt peat cutting by state-owned Bord na Móna and the EPA has acted against operators on private commercial sites over 50 acres, the Commission states that significant unregulated peat cutting continues, especially on sites under 50 hectares. Local enforcement action against these illegal activities is deemed insufficient, prompting the referral.