Since peatlands cover around 20 % of the land area in the Republic of Ireland, their management is of particular significance in reducing national greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. We reviewed peatland carbon (C) flux studies within Ireland, extracting data for carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide fluxes, as well as fluvial losses and here propose preliminary country-specific emission factors (EFs) for various peatland land uses and management practices. Using our derived EFs and latest areal estimates, national emissions from peatlands (excluding horticulture and combustion) amount to 1.9 Mt C y-¹ (± 0.4–3.4 Mt C y-¹), with more than half of all peatland GHG emissions coming from grasslands on organic soils and over one-third from domestic extraction drained peatlands. Our analyses suggest that peatland management through rewetting and restoration has the potential to substantially reduce emissions from drained peatlands, and this article attempts to quantify this reduction. This is critically important given the large areas of degraded peatlands that have been earmarked for rewetting in the next decade.

Peatlands are complex landscape ecosystems. Since the beginning of the last century, they have been viewed as wastelands, with little or no economic value of note in their natural state. This led to their hidden values, particularly their contributions to human well‐being, and global and local support systems, being completely overlooked in policy and decision‐making, both at national and global levels. In this paper, we highlight some of the complexities relating to Irish peatlands: from their traditional use, to changes in land use relating to national and European policy changes in the last century. We then outline essential supporting components of a framework for their restoration and future sustainable use. Policy relating to agriculture, forestry, and energy has driven most of the land use change in Ireland, particularly since the mid‐1900s, and this has led to dramatic changes in peatland extent and condition, with negative impacts on the flows of ecosystem services and benefits for people. Restoration of peatlands has significant potential to reverse those negative flows and deliver benefits (local and global) for carbon, water, biodiversity, and people. Local communities can, and are keen to, support the delivery of peatland restoration, but they need to be supported by national agencies and policy frameworks that address social, economic, and environmental targets. The act of restoration creates opportunities to re‐connect with peatlands in a positive way, re‐enforcing the intrinsic and reciprocal values of peatlands, and ultimately supporting their sustainable use.