Results 1-19 of 19 for peat speaker:Heather Humphreys

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Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Midlands Regional Transition team and Just Transition was established in October 2018 for communities and workers affected by the ending of peat harvesting for power generation in the Midlands region. My Department makes a significant contribution to the work of this commission. In the last two years we have provided significant supports to the affected workers to assist them...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme (28 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...for outdoor recreation projects under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. Other Government investments in rural Ireland include the €2.7 billion National Broadband Plan, €108 million for the Bord na Mona Peat Restoration Project and other huge commitments towards transport infrastructure such as roads, rail, and walking and cycling amenities. The breadth of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Job Creation (14 May 2019)

Heather Humphreys: ...progressing aquaculture and herb production opportunities. In October 2018, Bord na Móna detailed plans to implement strand 1 of its brown-to-green strategy to consolidate and simplify traditional peat harvesting operations. In response to this announcement, a regional transition team, including the local authorities, enterprise agencies and others, was established by Offaly County...

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Job Creation (14 May 2019)

Heather Humphreys: ...regarding the Bord na Móna job losses at the time. The regional transition team was established by Offaly County Council in response to the announcement to consolidate and simplify traditional peat-harvesting operations. It aims to pursue funding opportunities and actions to mitigate the impact of the Bord na Móna job losses on the individuals concerned, as well as the impact...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Enterprise Plans (14 May 2019)

Heather Humphreys: ...the announcement by Bord Na Móna of strand one of its "Brown to Green" strategy, by encouraging collaboration to develop employment opportunities in the region and in the context of the transition to a low carbon economy as it affects the peat sector in the Midlands. Finally, it is important to note that the Government has put several funding streams in place to support regional...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (8 May 2019)

Heather Humphreys: ...an Energy Park, and to conduct trials in aquaculture and herb production. In October 2018 Bord na Móna detailed plans to implement Strand 1 of its “Brown to Green” strategy to consolidate and simplify traditional peat harvesting operations, announcing that 21 bogs across the Midland region would cease production in 2019. This “Brown to Green” strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting (7 Mar 2017)

Heather Humphreys: ...trackways) that traverse an open working bog and that have been dissected along their length by approximately 45 open drains is severely limited. These ancient features only come to light during peat extraction. Once a bog has been drained to facilitate such extraction, the conditions that ensured the preservation of the wooden toghers are no longer present with the result that they will...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Environmental Schemes (25 Oct 2016)

Heather Humphreys: ...protection of biodiversity generally, through the implementation and enforcement of the Wildlife Acts and the management of National Parks and Nature Reserves around the country. With regard to peatlands, my Department's focus is on the designated areas, both Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Natural Heritage Areas. The draft national Raised Bog SAC Management Plan, approved by...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (8 Dec 2015)

Heather Humphreys: ...recommendations in relation to the trackway, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with an Integrated Pollution Control licence application to the Agency earlier this year for peat extraction at Mayne Bog. The form and extent of the archaeological excavation sought by my Department was directly comparable to the archaeological mitigation strategies adopted in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Raised Bog Management Plan Publication (1 Dec 2015)

Heather Humphreys: In the context of Budget 2016, I announced that funding of €9 million will be available under the Exchequer Capital Investment Framework 2016-2021 for the programme of peatlands restoration. The proposed programme of conservation measures for raised bogs is set out in the draft National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan. The final Plan is scheduled to be published early next year. In...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turbary Rights (24 Nov 2015)

Heather Humphreys: ...will not come into effect on these sites. However, the consent of other authorities may be required in order to undertake turf extraction on these sites in certain circumstances, for example, commercial peat extraction. Regulatory change will be required to give full effect to the de-designation of the sites. The appropriate form of this change is being considered within my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Architectural Heritage (24 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: ...recommendations in relation to the trackway, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with an Integrated Pollution Control licence application to the Agency earlier this year for peat extraction at Mayne Bog. The form and extent of the archaeological excavation sought by my Department was directly comparable to the archaeological mitigation strategies adopted in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (23 Sep 2015)

Heather Humphreys: ...recommendations in relation to the trackway, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with an Integrated Pollution Control licence application to the Agency earlier this year for peat extraction at Mayne Bog. The form and extent of the archaeological excavation sought by my Department was directly comparable to the archaeological mitigation strategies adopted in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Monuments (14 Jan 2015)

Heather Humphreys: ...the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) by my Department’s National Monuments Service on an ongoing basis. The toghers - or bog trackways - discovered in this case on a privately-owned and operated peat extraction site have been included in the SMR as part of that process. My Department has also funded a partial excavation at the site to create a record and description of the find. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (25 Nov 2014)

Heather Humphreys: ...with turf cutting interests, farmers, non-governmental organisations and the European Commission. A long-term compensation scheme was introduced to compensate cutters for their loss. The Government published Ireland's first ever draft national peat lands strategy last January and I hope to be in a position to finalise the strategy early in the new year. It sets out the Government's view...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (22 Oct 2014)

Heather Humphreys: ...earlier this year. The assessment shows that Coolrain is a small bog that contains a significant area of active raised bog habitat. This is the area of the bog which is actively forming peat and which is a habitat in particular danger of disappearance within the European Union. As such, it is deemed a priority habitat and afforded particular protection under EU law. Active raised bog is...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments (23 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: ...is payable in certain circumstances where activities must cease for the conservation of a designated site. The company referred to in the Deputy’s Question was compelled to cease commercial peat extraction operations within certain designated sites and applied for compensation for the losses that it incurred. As indicated in the reply to the Deputy to Question No. 93 of 17 May...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (17 Sep 2014)

Heather Humphreys: ...to the refusal. Since the introduction of this compensation provision in 1997, fewer than 20 individual applicants have sought and been paid compensation, and these related predominantly to commercial peat extraction. The Deputy will be aware that a specific compensation scheme has been put in place for those affected by the cessation of domestic turf cutting on raised bogs selected for...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Parks Projects (16 Jul 2014)

Heather Humphreys: My understanding is that the bogs proposed for use in the project referred to by the Deputy are under the stewardship of Bord na Móna and, as such, their management, present use for commercial peat production and future rehabilitation are, in the first instance, matters for that organisation. My Department, in principle, would welcome any initiative to rehabilitate cutaway bog in a way...