Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which negotiations between him and turf cutters is scheduled to take place; the substance of these negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29906/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Further to Ireland's obligations under EU law to protect rare and threatened natural habitats, it is clear that further turf cutting and conservation of Ireland's 53 raised bog special areas of conservation, SACs, are incompatible. Earlier this year, the Government announced a compensation package for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting in these 53 raised bog SACs. The package offers qualifying turf cutters the option of a financial payment of €1,000 per year, index linked, for a period of 15 years or, where feasible, their relocation to a non-designated bog where they can continue to cut turf.

In April, the independently chaired Peatlands Council was established, comprising representatives of turf cutting interest groups, environmental groups, Bord na Móna and my Department. The remit of the council includes an opportunity to review the compensation arrangements, to make proposals and to provide advice to me. As part of its contribution, one of the turf cutting representative groups, the IFA, proposed that the State would provide a delivery of turf to those who must stop turf cutting as an alternative to a financial payment. My Department is now making arrangements to include this as an element of the compensation arrangements. The council has also proposed an approach that would focus on the long-term energy requirements of affected turf cutters, and this proposal is also being explored.

In terms of relocation, following lengthy discussions between affected turf cutters, Bord na Móna and my Department, agreement has been reached on the terms and conditions for relocation from the first of the 53 raised bogs to an alternative undesignated bog, where the turf cutters involved will be cutting in 2012. This relocation can now be used as a template for other groups who wish to continue cutting on alternative bogs.

The Peatlands Council has shown that it can be a vehicle to deliver results and a credible forum where the interests of turf cutters can be represented and accommodated. While one group - the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association - has withdrawn from the Peatlands Council, it had been working, with the assistance of my Department, to explore relocation sites for the 53 SACs. I would still welcome any proposals which the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association wishes to propose to the Peatlands Council and my Department in this regard.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

It is also intended that the Peatlands Council will be the vehicle for the drawing up of a peatlands strategy, which my Department is undertaking, and where longer-term issues regarding the future use of Ireland's peatlands will be set out. Interested parties can make their views known by writing directly to the Peatlands Council or by having their views directed to it through one of the representative groups sitting on the council.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. We on this side of the House believe the Government must immediately bring forward proposals for a long-term solution to compensate turf cutters, which is an issue of particular concern in the midlands and further west. The Peatlands Council is somewhat disappointed that the Minister went ahead and signed this agreement without full consultation with the council. The council had proposed a compromise whereby 80% of the 53 SAC bogs would not be cut. This whole problem stems back to 1997 when the then Minister, Mr. Michael D. Higgins, signed the habitats directive and the derogation was put in place for ten years.

The Minister's reply referred to 53 locations. How close are we to having alternative locations provided for the turf cutters? What, if any, negotiations have taken place with the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association to try to get it back to the Peatlands Council? The association is one of the main representative bodies and should partake in the Peatlands Council. The Minister referred to the delivery of turf as a proposal by the IFA. How many other strands of the Peatlands Council welcome this as a suitable alternative?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The instrument to which the Deputy refers has nothing to do with the closure of bogs and has been in force for the past four years. As the Deputy knows, we were ruled against in the court, which stated we had not done enough to put in place the birds directive. That instrument went out for consultation last summer and the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association did not respond to it. It has nothing to do with the closure of 53 bogs, which we are told must happen.

I want to make this point very clear as it has been mentioned as one of the reasons the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association has withdrawn. The association has stated the reason it withdrew from the last meeting was a statement made by Deputy Hogan. It was not because of the instrument I recently signed that I had no option but to sign. It was there and had been completed by the time I came into office. It had gone out for consultation but the aforementioned organisation did not respond. I make that point clear today.

As for the overall process, I remind the Deputy the previous Government made a Cabinet decision in May 2010 that these 53 bogs would be closed that year but they were not. Last year, many of them were closed and I understand that cutting only took place on six bogs-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, Minister.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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-----but it now is clear there will be no turf-cutting next year. It is important to note that I wish to continue to work with the Peatlands Council and to continue to engage with the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association, which has come up with some good proposals on relocation. I was in Galway recently when the association's representative made a presentation to Galway County Council at which he suggested they had achieved solutions to approximately 78% of the problem. This is very good and any help I can give to the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association and any time I can speak to it, I certainly will because the association obviously will be highly important in the eventual solution. I wish to make one point.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are way over time.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association's contribution to this debate thus far.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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May I ask a supplementary question?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, we are one minute over the seven minutes for that question.