Suspected illegal peat extractions from bogs around the country has prompted a spate of investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Drone imagery captured by the EPA shows large-scale peat extractions - which are believed to be unauthorised - taking place on bogs across the midlands.

The information was released to the Irish River Project following an access to information on the environment (AIE) request.

The EPA has carried inspections on a number of the sites where some peat extraction activities were considered to be significant and of a commercial nature.

The EPA noted commercial large sod extraction, excavation, turning and stockpiling of sod peat following extraction activity and removal off-site of large sod peat at a number of bogs.

Large sod peat was noted to be stacked and left on the bog for drying in cases also.

Milled peat extraction was also noted to be taking place at a bog in Longford - operations ceased when the EPA entered the peatland to investigate in June 2024.

In many of the bogs the EPA visited, harvesting machinery and machines for milled peat extraction were noted.

Drainage works were noted to have been carried out over an extensive part of the peatland inspected.

Bagging operations

A peat processing and bagging plant was identified at a bog in Co Kildare, where significant quantities of bagged material were stored.

The EPA described it as a milled peat harvesting operation and the scale of the activity and the area involved is on a commercial scale.

Large stockpiles of milled peat were noted adjacent to the bagging plant and milled peat was being moved and processed from the stockpiles.

The EPA visited sites in Sligo, Westmeath, Roscommon, Longford, Offaly, Kildare and Tipperary.

Right to Know group response

Director of Right to Know Ashley Glover told the Irish Farmers Journal that there are about six large companies carrying out extraction activities.

“These are just the larger sites that the EPA has jurisdiction over - it’s not all illegal peat extraction in Ireland. Park and wildlife [NPWS] [which has] jurisdiction over the unlicenced extraction in SACs - they won’t release any of the information under AIE.

"They’ve refused to release the equivalent inspection reports and drone photography, which I’m suspicious about. The EPA deal[s] with just the large commercial sites. The EPA has no jurisdiction over illegal extraction in SACs."

Glover said that the majority of this peat gets exported, adding that €39m worth of peat was exported out of the country last year.

“Rural independents have a big focus on that peat extraction is just small domestic to heat your granny’s house type thing, but that doesn’t tally with the reality that there’s €39m exported.

"There’s only a few big companies in peat contracting in Ireland, about six. And only one of them [has] an injunction against them,” he said.