The Government has been accused of failing to respect the terms of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change by approving plans for new peat-fired power stations at Lanesborough, Co Longford, and Shannonbridge, Co Offaly.
Ms Patricia McKenna, Green Party MEP for Dublin, criticised the Government for seeking permission from the European Commission to charge electricity customers in the Republic for the additional operational costs of "these uneconomic ventures".
At the opening on Monday of a petition to the European Parliament by six environmental groups against the two power stations, she said peatland was three times more effective than forestry in offsetting carbon dioxide emissions.
As Ireland's CO 2 emissions already exceeded the Kyoto target for 2010, Ms McKenna said it was "completely nonsensical and irresponsible to have given the go-ahead" to projects that would require "huge amounts of peat" for their raw material.
"Not only is it completely uneconomical, but it is also an environmental catastrophe," she said. "It will wreak havoc on an ecologically very rich and unique habitat listed for protection in EU law and it will free tons of carbon dioxide into the air."
Approval would require the annual harvesting of 1,800 hectares of bogs which should be preserved under the Habitats Directive, she said. Ireland is before the EU court for failing to comply with the directive, with judgment due next month.
The six environmental groups claim the proposed subsidy of the two power plants will further distort competition and create a market access barrier for alternative, more environmental friendly and cost effective sources of electricity.
Those lodging the petition are An Taisce, Friends of the Irish Environment, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Grian (the Greenhouse Ireland Action Network), the Irish Wildlife Trust and VOICE of Concern for the Irish Environment.
