Mr. Pat Ring:

I will provide further information to the committee on Bord na Móna's land bank. I will also provide information on a framework that we have developed to help us examine potential future uses of peatlands, particularly peatlands at the cutaway stage.

Bord na Móna owns approximately 80,000 hectares of land and it is important to say that this is predominantly peatlands. In other words, it is quite different from mineral soil even when it reaches the cutaway stage.

The land bank consists of 130 bogs units, mainly in the midlands with some on the west coast. The bogs are large in scale and complexity and have the potential to revegetate. The depth of peat that remains after production will vary considerably, and some bogs, particularly those in the Shannon catchment area, are under the water table so they are supported by bog pumping operations.

Slide No. 3 provides an outline of current land use in Bord na Móna. It shows that three quarters of the land is involved in peat production activities and this supports our energy, fuels and horticultural businesses and factories. One quarter of the land is either cutaway or will not be used for production in the future. Current after-use options include wind energy, biodiversity, amenity uses and forestry.

It is useful to provide some background on how thinking has evolved in respect of peatlands and their use. Originally, in the 19th century, peatlands were seen as wastelands with potential for agriculture if they could be drained. In the 20th century, the value of peatlands for industrial development became obvious, and subsequently large areas were developed on an industrial scale. With that, the question arose of what would become of the land when the peat production phase came to an end. At the time, the view was that the use would be for agriculture and horticulture. However, the reality proved to be more difficult and complex. Extensive trials had been carried out over many decades by Bord na Móna working in collaboration with partners such as Coillte, COFORD and UCD. For economic and technical reasons, the use for agriculture and horticulture is realistically unviable and the potential for forestry is limited. More recently, there is huge growth in recognition of the biodiversity value of peatlands. Cutaway bogs present a range of complex issues that require to be considered bog by bog. To that end, we have carried out a body of work reviewing the work done over the decades and seeking to develop a framework to assist us in examining future land use options.

Slide No. 5 provides a broad outline and overview of what we refer to as a strategic framework for future land use. Each of the 130 bog units will be assessed on the basis of eight key factors, which are shown in the diagram. Number 1 refers to the physical nature of the bog, the second refers to its location in comparison with key infrastructure, which is critical, as is No. 3, the timeframe for peat extraction. No. 4 refers to the economics of any after-use proposal and No. 5 refers to the national and regional needs. Bord na Móna is of the view that our cutaway peatlands have an important role to play in meeting national requirements for renewable energy, water storage, amenities and biodiversity. No. 6 refers to legislation and regulation, and any future development must comply with relevant legislation. No. 7 relates to land use planning policies, and any future land use must conform with national, regional and local policies. No. 8 is the local issues and local consideration, which are very important. These include providing employment and places for amenities and recreation. All these factors and the complex issue of projecting future land use is covered under the land use review system, which will be dynamic in nature and will allow for changes in regulation or land use policy in future years.

In terms of overall land use strategy, the object of Bord na Móna is to balance and optimise the commercial, social and environmental value of its resources. Bord na Móna will actively pursue the full potential of its land bank for a variety of appropriate future land uses. The land bank will be developed with regard to commercial benefits and the national interest. Bord na Móna will interact with other policy-making bodies, such as regional and local authorities, to achieve it. Cutaway bogs present a range of complex options that require to be considered bog by bog.

Biodiversity and ecosystem services comprise an important issue when considering future land use options. Biodiversity provides a contribution to wealth and health through the ecosystem services and consequently has economic value. Bord na Móna lands identified as having high biodiversity value or priority habitats will be reserved for that purpose as the principal future land use. Some level of remediation, with consequent cost, is required for all future land use and many of the options we look at are compatible and can be co-located. For example, biodiversity is compatible with and can be co-located with wind energy, and water storage options are compatible with amenities.

I will summarise with some of the key land use options under consideration. Wind energy is a key land use option at present. Bord na Móna has been active in wind energy projects for 20 years and we believe cutaway peatlands have significant potential to meet Ireland's renewable energy targets. Cutaway peatlands typically have a good wind regime and they are remote, with no residences within the bog and, typically, a low number of residences on the periphery. We also look at amenities and tourism as important options. To date, we have focused our resources in developing the Lough Boora site in County Offaly. It is a cutaway bog that has been developed for amenity and biodiversity purposes and it has cycleways, walking tracks, lakes and a sculpture park. It is a fine local amenity and we are working to develop Lough Boora further for improved visitor facilities for local visitors and people from further afield. High value biodiversity is a key consideration and my colleague Dr. Farrell will talk about that in more detail. Industry and infrastructure have a place in the future land use of cutaway peatlands. Some examples include Drehid Resource Recovery Park in County Kildare and a smaller development in Derryarkin Sand and Gravel Limited, a joint venture with Roadstone Holdings.

I also mentioned forestry, and significant areas of land have been leased to Coillte since the 1980s. However, growing performance has been disappointing and while forestry considers to be considered, at this stage it seems unlikely it will present major opportunities in terms of after-use options. My final slide seeks to paint a picture of what a future peatland landscape may look like, showing renewable energy being garnered from wind, wetland areas, and an area rich in biodiversity and amenities for local communities and employment creating opportunities.

I will hand over to my colleague, Dr. Catherine Farrell, who will talk about ecosystem services and bog restoration projects in Bord na Móna.