Mr. Brian Lucas:

I have already stated that the Department has done a great deal of work in the context of the restoration of raised bogs. I stated what is set out in the national plan to restore raised bogs in three cycles of six years. I mentioned the €5.4 million Living Bog project, which has been in operation since 2016. I also mentioned the work of the Department separately on State-owned lands within the raised bog SAC and NHA networks. In addition, I stated that, with the extra budget allocation for 2020 of €5 million, we hope to accelerate that programme.

I gave some figures and there is potential, as I mentioned, in that we hope to work next year on nine bogs under the restoration programme. That would maintain a store of approximately six megatonnes of carbon and result in a reduction of CO2 emissions of approximately 5,000 tonnes per year.