Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Deputy Fitzmaurice on his recent election to Dáil Éireann. It is always a great honour to represent the people of one's county and constituency. I was very pleased to note that the morning before he came to the Dáil, he had time to feed his cattle. I wish him well in his new position.

Since this Government has come into office, major efforts have been made to solve the issue of the protection of Ireland's raised bog special areas of conservation within the framework of the EU habitats directive. This has included intense engagement with turf cutting interests, farmers, non-governmental organisations and with the European Commission. A long-term compensation scheme was introduced to compensate cutters for their loss.

The draft national raised bog SAC management plan was published in January. It sets out how the raised bog special areas of conservation are to be managed in the future and how the needs of turf cutters are to be addressed. The draft plan sets out the demanding tests which must be met before turf cutting can be consented to within the provisions of the directive. The final plan will clarify whether the relevant provisions of the directive can be applicable to any particular special area of conservation and will seek to establish whether sufficient consensus can be achieved at a national level to make a successful case to the European Commission for flexibility in accordance with Article 6(4) of the directive.

This national raised bog SAC management plan responds to the central recommendation of Mr. Justice Quirke arising out of the 2012 peatlands forum. Notwithstanding the complexity involved, progress in relocating turf cutters to non-designated bogs is being achieved in a number of cases, and arrangements have been made for Clara bog in County Offaly, where 25 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on Killeranny bog, and Carrownagappul bog and Curraghlehanagh bog in County Galway, where 23 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on the Islands bog and Killasolan bog. Works have been undertaken on Lemanaghan bog in County Offaly with a view to facilitating turf cutters from Moyclare bog. Works are also under way in Cloonabricka bog in County Galway to facilitate additional cutters relocating from Carrownagappul and Curraghlehanagh bogs. Potential relocation sites have been identified for each of the remaining raised bog special areas of conservation where relocation may be required. When relocation sites have been assessed as suitable, my Department has been seeking expressions of interest from turf cutters with a view to them moving to these sites.

As pointed out on many occasions, this is a very complex issue with each site having its own challenges. Final resolution will only be achieved by everyone working - within the law - with my Department and with the Peatlands Council which was established with the purpose of ensuring input from all stakeholders.

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