Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reasons for the planned de-designation of 46 raised bog natural heritage areas; her views on the potential environmental impacts of the de-designation, as highlighted by environmental groups such as An Taisce; if she will provide details of her Department's role in carbon sequestration in peatland areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37390/16]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Despite the notable lack of prominence given to environmental matters in the programme for Government, there was a promise to publish new legislation to de-designate 39 raised bogs in natural heritage areas and partially re-designate seven raised bogs. The legislation, as I understand it, is formulated in such a way as to enable turf cutters to move from more important bogs to less important bogs in terms of conservation. According to An Taisce, a series of such decisions in recent years treats science as capable of being bargained away, traded against or balanced against other factors. Does the Minister have any concerns about the potential environmental impact of the de-designation, as highlighted by An Taisce?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network, published in January 2014, concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focus, protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. This will entail the phasing out by 1 January 2017 of turf cutting on 36 existing natural heritage areas, which will remain designated.

This includes seven sites to be divided, with part to be conserved and part de-designated. There will also be complete de-designation of 46 natural heritage areas, including the relevant areas of the seven sites to be divided, where it has been judged that their contribution to the attainment of the national conservation objective for raised bogs is expected to be marginal and restoration would be prohibitively expensive for the conservation benefits achieved. There will be designation as natural heritage areas, NHAs, of 25 currently undesignated raised bogs that are in public ownership or in respect of which there is reduced turf cutting pressure.

The purpose of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to provide for the implementation of this reconfiguration. The Bill is scheduled for Committee State in the House on Thursday. The role that peatlands play in carbon sequestration is recognised in the national peatlands strategy, which was published this year. Officials from my on Department are engaging with other relevant Departments in exploring the potential of wetlands, particularly restored peatlands, to perform carbon storage and sequestration functions that can assist in achieving Ireland's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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The 2011 bogland report by the Environmental Protection Agency noted 10 million tonnes of annual emissions from peatland degradation and burning, equivalent to Ireland's annual car emissions. We all know that there are many jobs tied up in peat and turf in the midlands now but we will not be able to continue burning peat like we are now. Is there any Government plan to start a job creation programme in the midlands designed to replace those currently involved with the climate-damaging extraction of peat? Is there any long-term plan for creating jobs that will eventually replace those currently tied to the peat industry?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In November 2015, the European Commission approved funding for a €5.4 million project under the EU LIFE 2014-2020 programme for the restoration of active raised bogs in 12 special areas of conservation, SAC, sites in Ireland. This project will operate for five years and it commenced in January 2016. It is being implemented by a project team that will work closely with local communities and stakeholders. In advance of the restoration works commencing, there will be community awareness and an education element to this project.

The main objective of the 2014 NHA review was to consider how the network could contribute to our conservation objectives for raised bog habitats while avoiding unintended impacts on the traditional rights of landowners and turf cutters while minimising the cost arising from compensation payments. The reconfiguration of the raised bog NHA network, which the Bill will facilitate, is based on sound scientific evidence and will have a positive impact on the network. This de-designation of bogs proposed in the legislation will have a better outcome for both turf cutters and the environment.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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The Minister did not really answer my question about job creation. Currently, Bord na Móna harvests 4 million tonnes per year. It was originally set up to look after the bogs but it is destroying them. Since 2011, we have subsidised peat-fired power generation to the tune of €500 million, which is a lot of money. Surely there must be some long-term planning to get away from extracting peat from the ground, as it is probably the most damaging act to the environment in the country. Has any thought been put into subsidising domestic users in the region who switch to wind turbines? Currently, they are more or less being told that we have always cut turf and we will cut it forever. At one point, people used to have slaves but they are not allowed to have them any more. It is not good to take the turf from the ground but we do not want to make jobs disappear all of a sudden and we do not want people to be without heating. We must engage in some long-term planning to deal with the challenges involved.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy mentioned Bord na Móna but that is under the remit of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, and his Department. I can raise the matter with him. The regional action plan for jobs outlines a number of initiatives to create employment in rural areas. With the Bill referred to in my reply, I am trying to find a balance that ensures an appropriate network of NHAs that would better contribute to the protection of raised bog habitats and related habitats and species as required under the EU habitats directives and the Wildlife Acts. I am trying to create a better outcome for turf cutters and, most importantly, for the environment.