TDs have proposed a number of recommendations aimed to clamp down on illegal peat extraction.

The use of drones to monitor any illegal peat extracting activity is just one of 13 recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy.

The committee has called for targeted resourcing in order to enforce both aerial monitoring and drones.

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It has also recommended that this enforcement targets commercial operators, rather than householders exercising lawful turbary rights.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should be made the responsible body for all enforcement activities relating to illegal peat extraction, according to the committee.

It should be given the appropriate powers and resources to pursue offenders.

Legislative changes

The committee has called for legislative changes to be introduced, requiring commercial operators to prove lawful provenance for peat offered for sale or export also.

These changes should see traceability obligations for retailers and importers, plus harsher punishments for those found to be exporting illegally extracted peat.

The committee stressed that efforts must be made to ensure the clampdown on illegal peat extraction does not contribute to an increase in household electricity bills.

"Illegal commercial peat extraction is having a detrimental effect on Ireland’s biodiversity and undermining progress toward our climate targets.

"The widespread defiance of the law by those engaged in this activity raises serious concern about the willingness and capacity of relevant authorities to take appropriate enforcement action," chair of the committee and Fine Gael TD Naoise Ó Muirí said.

These 13 recommendations have been laid before both houses of the Oireachtas.