Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter. I want to give the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Government a chance to think seriously about this terrible decision to prevent thousands of turf cutters throughout Ireland from cutting their own domestic supply of fuel on the 32 raised bogs designated under the EU habitats directive. In the economic circumstances in which we find ourselves, not alone do the thousands of bog owners who are to be driven out of their own bogs this spring believe this is a daft scheme operated under an illogical EU-Government order which makes no sense, but so do those in society generally. We need only look at the facts.

I must explain to the House I have a vested interest. I am one of the thousands of bog owners who will be prevented from cutting a domestic supply of turf this year, something which has happened in my family for three generations.

Last summer, as people harvested their supply of turf, the price of crude oil hit €147 a barrel, and while it is not at that level now, most economists suggest that over the next year or so this level will be surpassed. Bogs were made available to families to allow them to become self-sufficient with regard to fuel supplies. Everybody wants the ailing economy to be energy conscious and less dependent on foreign oil imports but the Government seems not to understand that turf provides fuel for cooking, heating houses and an array of purposes. Why would the Government, particularly in this week in our history when our collective backs are to the wall, want to drive thousands of ordinary, decent people out of their bogs, forcing them to replace their heating systems with appliances that are powered by electricity or gas, all necessitating expensive oil imports?

We must consider the loss of jobs on turf-cutting machines and the financial disaster that is facing turf-cutting contractors, many of whom have €500,000 tied up in expensive turf-cutting machinery that can never be used for any other purpose. When the beet industry was allowed to die a few years ago, at least the beet contractors got some financial help but nothing whatsoever is planned for the bog contractors. The compensation offered to bog owners is a measly €3,000 per acre. Even such a ridiculously low valuation is beyond the capacity to pay of this cash-strapped Government. In other words, it does not have the funds to pay in any case; the Government is not able to pay for a bog. Why not let people continue to supply their domestic needs?

Many areas of the country contain raised bogs which do not have the quality turf which is a feature of many of the 32 bogs previously mentioned. Why are efforts not made to take over those bogs? This would not cause problems for the landowners, because the turf quality is bad. It would allow people cut turf on their bogs, which have proved useful throughout the years. I warn the Minister and the Government that this matter will be very difficult to implement, because right is on the side of bog owners in this case. There is a moral right to allow them to cut turf on their bogs as they have been doing for generations.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister has five minutes in which to keep the home fires burning.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Ceann Comhairle should put that out.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Once, I listened to the Ceann Comhairle on the radio discussing one of his favourite poems. He recited it and perhaps he will put Deputy Connaughton's contribution to song some evening. I thank Deputy Connaughton for raising this issue. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is unable to reply and I do so on his behalf.

The Minister is currently considering proposals for preservation of bogs of high conservation value. I understand that the Minister will bring this issue to Government shortly.

Turf cutting is scheduled to end during 2009 in 32 raised bogs, which would involve a relatively small proportion of turf cutters and not, I am advised, several thousand. Outside these 32 bogs, in other words, in the vast majority of areas, cutting may continue as normal. In particular, blanket bogs, which comprise most of the areas of peatland, are not affected. These arrangements will concern only raised bogs. However, there are between 1,500 and 1,600 raised bogs. Only 139 of these are designated and turf cutting is scheduled to cease during 2009 on 32 of these.

Turf cutting is not prohibited on most bogs, although on special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas cutting must be for domestic or non-commercial purposes and the use of certain machinery, such as sausage machines is not allowed.

Ireland's designated raised bogs are of European importance. Almost all of western Europe's raised bogs have disappeared or been severely damaged. Ireland has approximately 60% of the remaining uncut areas. These are of significant importance to Ireland's and Europe's natural heritage. We are required to protect habitats of European importance under the 1992 habitats directive. This bogland is priority habitat under the directive. It is also protected under our legislation, the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000.

Within Ireland, as elsewhere, most areas of bog have been severely damaged. This has mainly been caused by turf cutting, but also, in more recent times, by afforestation and over-grazing. Less than 1% of Ireland's active raised bogs remain. These are bogs on which the indigenous flora are still growing and where peat is forming. When arrangements were announced for the cessation of turf cutting on the 32 bogs designated for conservation in 1999, a ten-year grace period was granted to domestic turf cutters. It was intended to allow domestic turf cutters to find an alternative source of fuel. This ten-year period is now ending. A similar ten-year derogation applies to bogs designated after 1999. When natural heritage areas were designated in 2004, under an agreement with the farming organisations, another ten-year derogation was put in place, allowing cutting in these areas until 2014.

Since 1999, the Government has actively encouraged the cessation of domestic cutting by buying the traditional turf-cutting rights through a voluntary scheme of compensation. This covers both special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas. However, a review of the state of our bogs has revealed severe and continuing damage caused by domestic turf cutters. It is the Government's responsibility to ensure Ireland meets its obligations in protecting at least a portion of what remains of this irreplaceable natural heritage. I will ensure Deputy Connaughton's contribution is brought to the attention of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley.