Seanad debates

Thursday, 19 September 2013

2:35 pm

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators who have contributed to this debate this afternoon, which have been very helpful, positive and supportive. As Senators will be aware, this is not an easy issue. My great grandfather, grand-uncles and cousins cut turf on Moanveanlagh bog, which is one of the designated bogs in Kerry.

I recognise the fact that my cousins left the bog as soon as this became an issue. My family had a presence in the bog for generations, going back over 100 years, so the matter is very close to home. There were 31 bogs designated at first and the EU asked for more designations because we had not done enough. That was one of the additional bogs. There are two bogs in Kerry and there is no issue with the one in the national park. It is a sensitive issue and there have been a number of posters on trees and poles that are directed at me personally. I have never seen a local politician targeted in that sense to such an extent but I would prefer to be unpopular for doing the right thing than being popular for procrastinating or doing the wrong thing. I have a responsibility and I take it very seriously. It is a privilege to be a Minister, as anybody would recognise, and after being in the Houses for 30 years, I know that one must take that responsibility if it comes along. We must implement the law although we can, of course, seek to have laws changed. We cannot break the law or support the breaking of the law.

I thank Senators for their contributions, and I will refer to most of them individually. There were some very good points. From Senator Barrett's Kerry background, he would have a deep knowledge of the bogs and a great understanding of them. I completely agree with his comments, as we all do, and all we are being asked to do is preserve 2% of the raised bogs from where turf can be extracted. It is a very small percentage of bog. Europe has given us much and is asking us to do this.

The Dutch have played a very important role in raising awareness in this country of the importance of bogs. Whether it is solving drainage issues, water retention or carbon sinks, as well as critical locations for flora and fauna, there are important elements to biodiversity in the landscape and our heritage. The Dutch highlighted such issues when people did not fully appreciate the value of bogs in Ireland, as in the past they may just have been associated with peat extraction. As youngsters we all worked hard in the bogs and perhaps some people feared having to go there. There was much drudgery and difficult work, especially in bad weather, and the Dutch brought a new aspect of the value of bogs to us. That arose because they lost so much of their own bogs, and they are paying significant amounts of money just to grow bog again and conserve what they have.

I heard recently that it takes 1,000 years to grow 1 m of bog; in a profile of a bog that is 3 m high, we are talking about 3,000 years. The great poet Seamus Heaney immortalised our peatlands with the poem "Bogland", which set him on his way, and he referred to them as the dark repository of our past. He increased awareness of the importance of bogs in his own way.

A large proportion of the Irish population would now see the importance of bogs. I also agree about the importance of tourism, and in certain parts of Ireland there are walks around and through bogs, with restoration work being done by Bord na Móna and significant numbers of tourists being attracted. More of this will happen in future. I propose to prioritise such work as part of the overall management of protected bogs, and when we formulate a national strategy, the tourism element will be referred to.

I thank Senator Coghlan for his contribution and research on the subject. In the past, a former runner and journalist, Mr. Tom O'Riordan, mentioned that he worked on the bog with the Senator, although I do not know if that is true. He has experience not only of running around a bog but also of working on a bog. I agree that we must work out solutions within the law. Senator Mark Daly made a very good point about the scrutiny of EU legislation, particularly some of the earlier directives. We adopted directives without fully understanding or scrutinising them. When we agree with a directive, we must implement it; it is a responsibility of the Government and it is not the European Union's fault if we do not scrutinise the directives. We have not been good at doing that but we have an obligation to implement the law.

We are not alone in struggling to implement some aspects of the habitats directive, although Commissioner Potočnik has acknowledged that this is one of the most difficult issues that the European Commission is dealing with. Commissioner Potočnik has confirmed to me that the conservation of raised bogs is one of the most high-profile environmental issues in Europe, and people are watching very closely how this will pan out in Ireland. They are also watching what action the European Union will take against the Irish Government if we do not implement the policy. He was very clear about it and the Commission will not hold back on the issue. If incidents of turf cutting had not reduced this year, it would have taken action. The Commission is happy with the approach we are taking and it respects the fact that we are now taking the matter seriously after years of inaction. Nevertheless, it will not tolerate any return to widespread turf cutting, and if that happens, we will be injuncted. Not only will that cost us financially but there will be reputational damage as well. Senator Daly mentioned Monivea Bog which the consultants will visit this weekend. I hope the local people will co-operate and allow them on to the property if there is a request. Senator Daly asked if there was any "wriggle room" but when I met Commissioner Potočnik and asked him if there was any room for manoeuvre, he told me Ireland's time has run out.

Senator Kelly mentioned progress on the special area of conservation management plan and engagement has intensified with bog committees with regard to relocation. Issues of restoration will begin shortly, and it is important that all local committees and communities engage with the process. My Department has engaged RPS consultants to undertake the scientific work essential to underpinning the national SAC management plan, as well as the review of the national heritage area raised bogs.

Certainly whatever argument we make to the EU will have to based on science. It cannot be based on emotion or sentiment. These designations were originally made based on science and our arguments in the pursuit of any change, if we choose to make them, will have to have a scientific basis. That is why the consultancy will provide the necessary information. It will provide, for example, for nature conservation objectives for the raised bog habitats, conservation objectives for the 53 sites, restoration and management plans for each site, a Natura impact statement and an environmental report for the national plan itself, as well as the identification of compensatory habitat and an assessment of potential compensatory sites. This is very important. It is looking at sites that Bord na Móna have available. These sites were not examined previously. There are also other Coillte-owned sites that are available, for example. Hopefully these can be used as compensatory habitats, if there is flexibility there.

I do not want to make predictions or promises now but the plan may allow for some limited flexibility on a small number of bogs. That is why it is so important that everybody engages. I appeal to all of the Senators here to encourage the communities to get involved in this process. We have just one chance at this. If we can get this right, it can satisfy the vast majority of the turf cutters.

Senator Whelan made a very pertinent comment about the resources the EU has given to Ireland over the years. The EU has given us huge amounts of money. I am not sure of the exact figure, but the EU has given Ireland well over €60 billion. It has given us a vast sum of money for environmental protection and it is simply asking us to conserve 2% of the bogs from which turf can be extracted, which is a very small percentage. These bogs have enormous scientific value. The EU is not asking us for too much. The EU finds it very hard to reconcile the fact that it has given us so much money for environmental protection and rural development but we cannot oblige by protecting these bogs which are not just important to Ireland but to Europe as a whole. Let us face it, the type of peat landscape we have here is not seen in other parts of Europe. Our peat lands are unique because of Ireland's latitude and climate, particularly the levels of rainfall and the average temperatures here. The bogs here are unique. The type of bog we have here cannot be reproduced in any other part of the world. It is not just a question of an EU obligation that we must abide by. We also have an obligation to preserve our own rich natural heritage. The bogs are part of our precious landscape and we need to protect them.

I thank Senator Whelan for his comments on the threats to my staff, which are totally unacceptable. The names of departmental staff have been published on Facebook and staff have been threatened on that site and other social media organs, which is disgraceful. Staff have been threatened in various ways. This should not be happening in a civilised country. These are people who are doing their job, implementing EU directives that are law in this country. They are telling people not to do things, which is the nature of their jobs. They are much maligned across the country. In some cases, their families have also been threatened and some staff are living a life of fear, which is totally unfair. They are employees of the State who are simply doing their job. While people have a right to disagree with them, they do not have the right to threaten them. I thank Senator Whelan for recognising that reality.

Senators Reilly and Ó Clochartaigh referred to a motion tabled in the Dáil. What I am doing is fully implementing what was agreed in the Dáil. What was agreed will be implemented. We are pursuing that. We are paying consultants an enormous sum of money to draw up the national plan, as agreed in the other House. Three weeks after that agreement was reached, which was applauded by all parties in the Dáil, I was in Rinn Dúin in County Roscommon and Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan handed me a different plan entirely. He said it was the TCCA plan. He put a motion before the Dail, with which the House agreed. The Government made a commitment to pursue it and as the Senators pointed out, the EU Commission also agreed with this course of action, following an intervention by the Taoiseach. The TCCA then abandoned what it put forward in the Dáil through its public relations officer, Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and went off on a totally different tangent. It drew up a new plan, which it then sent on to the EU. That plan was rejected by the EU Commission. Had the TCCA presented that plan in the Dáil, the House could have voted on it but it did not do that. What I am doing here is fully implementing what was accepted unanimously by Dáil Éireann. That is my commitment.

The TCCA came up with an entirely different plan, with which the Commissioner would not agree.

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