Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Murray for her presentation. In general, I agree with the key points she made about legally binding targets, five-year roadmaps, giving the expert advisory group the power to publish its results and so forth.

On the issue of forestry, we are relying on one type of tree, which is conifers.

Is that a serious problem? Is the lack of diversity in our woodlands a problem?

I hope that forestry stays in State hands. This is a recent battle and I hope that those in favour of retaining it in State ownership will win. How important is that?

I wish to discuss peatlands and the controversial turf-cutting. According to the Government, only 2% of peatlands are used for domestic turf-cutting. Typically, the bogs are small and dried out because turf has been cut on them for 200 years and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to restore them. I agree with the delegation that scientific evidence has implied that bogs are a great asset for absorbing carbon and their biodiversity is very important. However, huge tracts of the 98% of boglands not used for turf-cutting are not protected SACs. They should be protected SACs, and I can name some of them if the delegation so wishes. The bogs are wet and are actively growing. I am not a scientist but I know from a brief reading of the reports on different bogs that once the bogs are wet then all of them share the same type of fauna and biodiversity.

To an extent, some environmentalists have missed the point. We should protect the bogs, particularly in view of their importance in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. That point has been missed. In most cases the wrong bogs were designated and large bogs were missed, particularly the large, wet actively growing bogs that nobody wants to cut turf on any more. Bord na Móna might have harvested them for peat moss 20 or 30 years ago because they were unsuitable for fuel, but the company has moved away from that idea.

I have a question on the habitats of cutaway bogs and their value in absorbing greenhouse gas emissions. Any cutaway bog that I have seen, particularly those that have been left static for five, ten, 15 or 20 years, have became active habitats again in the space of a couple of years. Many of them are now wetlands, but no thought has been given to restoring their habitats. They have great potential to deal with greenhouse gas and carbon emissions and probably have the same value as raised bogs.

There has been great conflict between turf-cutters and the State, and aeroplanes have even taken to the sky over an issue that concerns just 2% of bogs. The conflict continues, but we are missing the remaining 98%. I know that not all of the remaining 98% of bog is suitable, because some of it was harvested by Bord na Móna. I also know that massive tracts of bogs, far more than 2%, can be utilised and preserved. The bogland would be of greater benefit because it is wetter. Does the delegation agree that we must examine that idea?