EPA Report: Operators engaged in large-scale unauthorised peat harvesting activities are in flagrant violation of environmental law
On 25 June 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Large Scale Illegal Peat Extraction Report 2025, revealing a “flagrant violation of environmental law” taking place across 38 sites in seven counties: Offaly, Kildare, Tipperary, Westmeath, Roscommon, Longford and Sligo. These sites are engaged in extensive peat harvesting without planning permission or legally required environmental assessments.
Catastrophic Environmental Harm
The unauthorised extraction involves up to 300,000 tonnes of peat per year, much of it destined for export markets. The EPA estimates its commercial value at €40 million annually. However, the environmental cost is far greater.
The EPA warns of “catastrophic damage” being inflicted on bog ecosystems—many of which are legally protected. These activities are not only illegal but pose a serious threat to biodiversity, water systems, and climate stability.
Read the 5 Page Report
Enforcement Failures and Legal Gaps
Responsibility for enforcement is divided:
- Local authorities are legally obliged to ensure peat extraction has proper planning permission and that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Appropriate Assessments (AAs) are conducted.
- The EPA, through its Office of Environmental Enforcement, has authority to act where large-scale environmental breaches are identified.
The EPA reports that despite being formally notified, some local authorities have failed to act. The Agency described this as a “persistent compliance gap”, stating that failure to enforce planning law is enabling continued environmental destruction.
Although the EPA has conducted over 170 inspections and taken multiple legal actions, it cannot substitute for the statutory responsibilities held by local planning authorities. Without action at that level, illegal peat harvesting continues largely unchecked.
Why Ireland’s Peatlands Matter
Peatlands in good condition provide vital ecosystem services:
- Carbon storage: Bogs are major carbon sinks; when degraded, they become carbon emitters.
- Biodiversity: Raised and blanket bogs support rare species and are among Europe’s last intact peatlands.
- Water and flood regulation: Healthy bogs absorb and release water gradually, reducing flood risk.
- Air quality: Undisturbed vegetation reduces dust and stabilises local air quality.
The EPA underlines that large-scale peat extraction causes long-term and often irreversible environmental harm, including the release of stored carbon, destruction of habitats, and pollution of water bodies.
Restoration and Legal Operations
Industrial peat harvesting by Bord na Móna ceased in 2020. Since then, with support from the Peatlands Climate Action Scheme (PCAS), the company has restored nearly 19,000 hectares of former peatlands. Works include rewetting, blocking drains, and allowing bogs to recover their ecological function.
This large-scale rehabilitation demonstrates what is possible with proper planning, public funding, and legal compliance.
EPA Demands Urgent Action
The EPA’s report includes a stark warning: unauthorised peat extraction on this scale is incompatible with Ireland’s environmental and climate commitments. The Agency is calling for:
- Immediate enforcement by local authorities under planning law.
- Legal proceedings against operators engaged in commercial-scale illegal harvesting.
- Continued EPA action, including inspections and court cases where jurisdiction allows.
- Expanded support for bog restoration, based on successful models like Bord na Móna’s PCAS programme.
Further Reading
📄 Read the full EPA report: Large Scale Illegal Peat Extraction Report 2025
🔗 EPA press release: Operators engaged in large-scale unauthorised peat harvesting are in flagrant violation of environmental law
