Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said he is confident that new turf laws will be introduced this year.
Backbench Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs have warned Minister Ryan that they will not support the mooted draft legislation which would see a ban on the commercial sale of turf in communities with over 500 people.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Minister Ryan said: "There's agreement we need to deliver the public health benefit [with] 1,300 lives being lost each year prematurely. We're all agreed that that has to be something we tackle and we don't ignore.
"To do that also in a way that protects people from fuel poverty.
“That's what we need to get right.
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"And I believe we will be able to do that as part of a wider picture [and] a wider change we need to make for the better, where we save bills, protect people's health and ultimately make the energy switch to our own more sustainable systems."
Speaking to RTÉ, Minister Ryan said he wants people to know that the situation is as soon as possible on the proposed ban.
He said the Government had signalled its intentions 16 months ago and had launched a public consultation in September.
Minister Ryan was attending an emergency meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss a possible oil embargo on Russia.
He said Energy Ministers would not agree on the full list of energy sanctions on Monday and it would be an evolving process.
He said: "As this war worsens, deepens, lengthens, I think we're going to have to go stronger… recognising that colleagues have for a variety of reasons difficulties over sanctions.
"Our position is probably different than most others. Being the furthest west we're less exposed to both gas and oil shortages coming from Russia, but we're fully exposed in terms of the high prices it's bringing, so it's in our interest to get those prices down.”
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