Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are some issues relating to the bogs themselves. Bord na Móna held a briefing in Buswell's Hotel not long ago during which I asked Mr. D'Arcy about the hydrological assessment of the bogs.

In parts of the UK they have done some work on wetlands, trying to make them accumulate floodwaters so that they do not end up very quickly in rivers and then flood towns. Bogs or wetlands can be incredibly important in that way in dealing with climate change.

We held hearings last summer about the climate change legislation and heard some very interesting contributions about the value of mothballing all of our bogs as carbon sinks to offset our obligations. Will the footprint of 600 or 700 turbines with large concrete bases squeeze the prospect of bogs being used as a sponge for flooding events? What hydrological assessments have been carried out?