Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I ask that this work is completed as quickly as possible. In the Minister's reply he clearly outlined at the very start that they would be scored separately and then, by the sounds of things, the co-operation project teams implemented the buffer zone anyway. This appears to have been implemented and it should not have been. The INHFA is very concerned. Its representatives met with the Department last year and an agreement was made, and now clearly this has been changed. I appreciate that the Minister is looking at it. It needs to be looked at as quickly as possible. The interim payments are being made, which is fine for this portion, but we need a definite decision on this and farmers need to be clear that on commonages where turf is being cut, a buffer zone will not exist. The Minister must be clear on this when he has completed the work as quickly as possible because it will affect scores and it will affect payments if the 100 m buffer zone around these areas goes ahead.

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