A turfcutting co-op which was expected to go out of business when the ESB power station it supplied closed two years ago, cannot keep up with demand.
Oil prices have lead to a boom in demand for turf in south Kerry, where 15,000 tonnes have been cut this year, said Dan Barry, chairman of Iveragh Co-op.
Some 25,000 tonnes were machine-cut annually on the peninsula during the power station era at Deelis, near Cahirciveen. This could have been matched this year had the current demand been anticipated, Mr Barry said.
Turf is selling for about 60 a tonne. A trailer costs about 120.
Mr Barry said there were plans to invest in a turf-bagging plant. The co-op has also purchased additional bog. "We foresee a situation where people will be able to walk into a shop and buy a bag of turf in the same way they can now buy a bag of coal."
There have been many job losses in Cahirciveen in recent years with the closure of several factories and the power station.