Mr. Brian Lucas:

First, I thank the committee for inviting the Department to make a presentation today. Peatlands cover approximately 20% of the State's land area and their use has implications across a wide spectrum of public policy. Intact peatlands produce an array of nature-generated benefits to society known as ecosystem services. These services provided by peatlands include water retention, which can reduce flooding; water filtration and supply; climate regulation via carbon storage; and, cultural benefits. Bogs are, of course, an important habitat in their own right and an important breeding ground for many species including highly threatened species such as the curlew.

Ireland's peatlands, occurring as raised bogs, blanket bogs or fens are unique on a national and global scale. Ireland recognised the importance of these peatlands and took steps to protect the best remaining bogs through designation as special areas of conservation, SACs, and natural heritage areas, NHAs. Between 1997 and 2002, Ireland nominated 53 raised bog sites for designation as SACs. Some 75 raised bog NHAs have also been designated under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 to supplement the raised bog SAC network. Ireland has also identified 50 areas as SACs for the protection of blanket bog. A further 73 sites containing blanket bog habitat have been designated as NHAs under Irish law. Some 67 sites have been selected for conservation for one or more habitats directive annex 1 fen habitat in Ireland.

Ireland has approximately 60% of the remaining raised bog habitat in Western Europe. The original area of raised bogs in the State was approximately 311,000 ha. Most of Ireland's raised bog peatlands are no longer of ecological interest as they have been cut over. It is estimated that 10% of the raised bog area is suitable for conservation. For conservation purposes, there has been a need to restrict turf cutting on a number of sites to protect the best of our remaining active raised bog habitat.

The national raised bog special areas of conservation management plan 2017-22, approved by the Government and published in December 2017, sets out how the raised bog special areas of conservation are to be managed, conserved and restored and how the needs of turf cutters are to be addressed. The national restoration programme for Ireland's raised bog special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas is contained within this plan. It is intended to restore all designated raised bogs within three cycles, with the first cycle operating for the duration of the management plan.

Site-specific conservation objectives have been published for the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation and restoration plans drafted for these sites, to be developed further in partnership with stakeholders including landowners and local communities. Site-specific restorations plans for the raised bog natural heritage areas are also currently being developed by the Department. In order to help allay concerns on the potential impacts of restoration on areas of land adjacent to the protected bogs, the Department is in the process of developing drainage management plans for the special area of conservation sites as part of the national restoration programme. Restoration measures on raised bogs involve the insertion of peat or plastic dams to block surface water drains to restore more natural physical conditions and the re-wetting of the bog to raise water levels close to the bog surface to restore peat forming conditions. Raising the water table should not flood the land surrounding the bog but will ensure that it remains wet enough for the growth of sphagnum moss within the protected site. Restoration measures may also include tree felling and scrub clearance.

Work on the restoration programme has already begun with a €5.4 million project called the living bog, which is co-funded under the EU LIFE 2014-2020 programme. The Department is managing this project and is contributing €1.352 million as well as expert ecological resources and know-how, with the European Commission providing €4.056 million. The living bog project is the single biggest raised bog restoration project ever undertaken by the State and, as well as physical restoration work, there is a key focus on involving local communities. A large scale community outreach programme is currently under way in towns, villages and schools, and community-led amenity provision is currently at an advanced stage. The project will provide for sensitively designed amenities at a small number of the project sites such as walking trails, birdwatching facilities and signage. The living bog project, which commenced in 2016 and will conclude at the end of 2020, aims to restore the favourable conservation condition and increase the area for active raised bog by 277 ha or 58% on the 12 raised bog special area of conservation project sites. This will contribute to the national objective of achieving favourable conservation status for active raised bog in Ireland.

Restoration works were completed on two LIFE project special area of conservation sites in 2018 in Mongan bog SAC in County Offaly and in Garriskil bog SAC in County Westmeath. Some 1,500 peat dams have been inserted, blocking some 16,000 m of open drains. Restoration works are currently under way on three other SAC LIFE sites, namely: Carrownagappul bog SAC in County Galway; Ardnagullion bog SAC in County Longford and Moyclare bog SAC in County Offaly. In tandem with the LIFE project, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department is undertaking restoration works on State-owned lands within the protected raised bog network. Restoration measures on State-owned lands were completed last year on two raised bog special areas of conservation, Kilsallagh bog in County Galway and Drumalough bog in County Roscommon.

The Department worked in partnership with Coillte to complete some of the restoration measures. In addition, it liaises with Bord na Móna on the restoration and rehabilitation plans of that company. Further restoration works on State-owned lands are planned to be undertaken in 2019 on a number of raised bog protected sites. Landowners and other stakeholders are notified in writing in advance of the commencement of restoration works on land in State ownership. All restoration works are being undertaken in line with best practice as set out in the guidance document, Best Practice in Raised Bog Restoration in Ireland, which was published by the Department in 2017. As well as the LIFE project and restoration works on State-owned land in protected sites, between 2018 and 2019, the Department expects to invest around €300,000 in community engagement projects. This is in addition to the, on average, €4.46 million per annum paid to turf cutters under the compensation initiative to conserve raised bogs.

Given the significance of Ireland's raised bog resource at an international level, conserving the best examples of our peatland habitats is, of itself, something Ireland should be doing. It also fulfils Ireland's commitments under the EU habitats directive. It will also have benefits for Ireland's commitments under international climate change targets by improving the carbon flux or balance, particularly in relation to carbon dioxide, methane and dissolved organic carbon in water and by providing a host of other ecosystem services such as flood attenuation, water regulation, amenity value and biodiversity. Irish peatlands are a significant carbon store, containing more than 75% of all the national soil organic carbon.

On average, peatlands are estimated to hold about 1,500 tonnes of soil carbon per hectare, i.e., about ten times as much as a typical mineral soil. Functioning peatlands capture, sequester, carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the form of peat and vegetation. When peatlands are drained or damaged, the peat oxidises and the carbon is released back to the atmosphere. Peat oxidation can be stopped or reduced through the restoration of sites and hydrological management measures. The least damaged Irish peatlands may actively sequester on average 57,402 tonnes of carbon per year over the whole country. These are mostly bogs that have been selected for nature conservation purposes.

The Department is working closely with other Departments and agencies to consider further the role wetlands restoration and rehabilitation can play in achieving the objectives of the 2017 national mitigation plan and potential synergies with other environment-led schemes. A working group, including representatives from the Department, has been established by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to formulate how accounting for managed wetlands can be achieved in the context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in compliance with the relevant EU legislation. I thank the members of the committee for their attention; we would be happy to try to answer any questions they may have.