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

Relocation is a complex process. It involves investigating suitable sites for turf quality and quantity, determining the infrastructure-drainage works required, establishing the number that can be accommodated on the site and the cost and feasibility of land purchase or lease, and meeting possible planning and environmental impact assessment requirements.

Notwithstanding this complexity, progress in relocating turf cutters to non-designated bogs is being achieved in a number of cases and arrangements have been made as regards the Clara bog SAC in County Offaly, where 25 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on Killeranny bog, and Carrownagappul and Curraghlehanagh bogs SACs in County Galway, where 23 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on the Islands and Killasolan bogs. A further seven qualifying turf cutters from Carrownagappul and Curraghlehanagh bogs are being accommodated at Cloonabricka bog in County Galway where turf cutting is scheduled to commence next year. Works have been undertaken on Lemanaghan bog in County Offaly with a view to facilitating 12 qualifying turf cutters from the Moyclare bog SAC.

Progress has been made to relocate a small number of individual turf cutters to bog plots in counties Westmeath and Galway. Potential relocation sites have been identified for each of the remaining raised bog SACs 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 those sites.

For a number of these SAC sites the relocation sites identified may not be suitable or have the capacity to cater for the number of turf cutters who may wish to relocate there. In such cases, and in the context of the finalisation of the national raised bog SAC management plan, my Department is considering the available options in terms of relocation and the provisions of the EU habitats directive. Under Article 6.3 of the directive, consent could only be given to cut turf on a raised bog SAC where it can be shown that such cutting would not have an adverse effect on the site. Under Article 6.4, consent could only be given for imperative reasons of overriding public interest.

The figures that I have supplied relate to the past 12 months. I will provide the Deputy with further figures shortly.

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