Dáil debates

Tuesday, 7 October 2008

8:00 pm

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I want to share a minute of my time with Deputy Damien English, with the agreement of the House.

I mean no disrespect to my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, but I am very disappointed that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is not here. Based on what I have heard previously in this House and what I expect to hear tonight, my view is that we are signing the death warrant for one of the most traditional practices Ireland has ever known, the cutting of turf on 32 raised bogs across the country, which will affect thousands of turf cutters.

I received an answer to a Dáil question recently from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and what he is up to is nothing short of astounding. I will paraphrase it as quickly as I can. He said he was conscious of the recent increases in energy costs, but the reason for the derogation was to allow domestic cutters a reasonable time to find alternative sources of fuel. Peat was an honourable and noble source as well as a valuable habitat, which we were required to protect, but he said the derogation would expire at the end of this year. Where does the Minister think we will get an alternative supply? Where does the Minister of State think it is?

Photo of Pádraic McCormackPádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Connemara.

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The volume of every other form of fuel has increased tenfold but the Government is committed to kicking thousands off the bogs this year; turf cutters who have worked them for generations. They cut turf for their own fuel supply and they will not be there this time next year. The Minister of State is in the middle of this. I am a turf cutter and I hope he will do everything humanly possible to secure another derogation for at least a few years.

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Connaughton for sharing time. Will the Minister of State furnish us with the scientific evidence relating to the bogs selected under this scheme? This has not been provided yet, despite our attempts to obtain it on numerous occasions. That would help the turf cutters make a case for an extension of the scheme. They were led to believe there could be an extension to the ten-year rule but the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will not comment on that.

What are the rules? Information is seriously lacking. The Department thinks that sending out a lump of paper in the post a few years ago was sufficient to inform people about the rules and the legalities of cutting turf. Turf cutters are afraid because they are not sure what they can do. Will the Minister of State clarify whether they need permission to cut turf? This issue was discussed by the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government because of worries that the Minister intends to ram this change through and force people off the bogs. Some of these people have spent their lives working on bogs and they have the scars to show for it. They want a role in their local bogs but no management plans are in place and no discussion has taken place on how they can be involved in, for example, tourism projects. Will it be possible for them to cut turf without using machines?

Let us show consideration for families, generations of whom have worked on the bogs, and not introduce a blanket ban at the end of the derogation. This is the reality for some people and this work is part of their lives and culture. It is not as straightforward as shoving them off the bogs and the Minister telling the House this affects only 10% of all bogs in the State. That is not an answer. This ban is very serious for those working the 10% of bogs affected. They are not being well looked after and it is assumed they can stop and that will be it. That is not good enough.

If people are expected to give up their right to cut turf, with others possibly benefiting through swapping arrangements and so on, the current compensation must be examined. It is totally and utterly ridiculous, as it does not reflect the current cost of energy.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputies for raising the issue. I am taking the debate on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who asked me to confirm that he is fully aware of the concerns of Deputies and of traditional turf cutters who have relied on turf for domestic fuel. He also recognises the concern about the costs of alternative fuel. It is important to be clear about the position regarding the bogs in question. I must declare an interest, as I have a bog plot.

This issue concerns a small fraction of the bogs of Ireland and it must be reiterated that turf cutting will continue on the vast majority of bogs. Of the approximately 1,600 raised bogs, only 139 are designated for protection, with 32 of them subject to the ten-year derogation that lapses this year. Ireland's raised bogs are priority habitat under the EU habitats directive. The State has 60% of western Europe's remaining heritage of uncut raised bog. However, less than 1% of the original area of active raised bogs, that is, peatland on which the indigenous flora are still growing and forming peat, remains.

Ireland is required to protect priority habitats of European importance under the Habitats Directive, which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997 and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. Successive Governments have designated bog habitats for protection, nominating candidate special areas of conservation in 1999 and in 2002 and natural heritage areas in 2004. When arrangements were announced for cessation of turf cutting in SACs in 1999, a ten-year grace period was granted to domestic turf cutters. This was intended to allow them to find alternative sources of fuel. This period is coming to an end on the 32 raised bogs in question. A similar ten-year derogation applies to bogs designated after 1999. For example, when NHAs were designated in 2004, under an agreement with the farming organisations, another ten-year derogation was put in place, allowing cutting in NHAs until 2014. It is important to put this limited cessation of turf cutting into perspective and to acknowledge that turf cutting will continue in large areas of undesignated bog.

With regard to meeting our obligations to protect this habitat, a recent review of the state of our bogs revealed severe and continuing damage. In the ten years since commercial cutting was ended in designated areas, 35% of the remaining area of this priority EU habitat was lost through domestic cutting and we are losing between 2% and 4% of our remaining active raised bog per annum. The overall scientific assessment of the state of this habitat is "unfavourable, bad", which is the worst of three categories. EU member states with such unfavourable status in a habitat are legally obliged to take measures to ensure improvement. The Government's responsibility is to ensure Ireland fulfils its legal obligations and it would not be appropriate to extend the ten-year periods for the ending of cutting in the limited areas involved.

Deputies will be aware that the cessation of domestic cutting is encouraged by the purchase by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government of the traditional turf-cutting rights through a voluntary scheme in designated areas.