Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to concur with Senator Feighan and I commend him for the work he has done over the last five years in achieving this settlement on behalf of turf cutters in the Roscommon-Galway area and across the country. I also commend my former colleague, Mr. Paul Connaughton, who put a lot of work into this and travelled to Brussels to meet the Commissioner. The details are that the sum is possibly more than people would have anticipated. A sum of €19,881,000 is a significant amount going into rural communities in lieu of the cessation. It demonstrates the commitment of Government to those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog conservation areas.

The majority of those who were active on these sites are remaining in the scheme. Engagement with turf cutting interests continues with a view to resolving the issues relating to the raised bog special areas of conservation. As I said, the national raised bog conservation management plan was developed arising from a motion in Dáil Éireann in March 2012 which was supported by the Dáil. This is in line with A Programme for a Partnership Government, which outlines that the Government recognises that domestic turf cutters have a traditional right to cut turf, a right which is balanced with the conservation objectives and legal obligations of the State.

I would again state that, having inherited an economic and financial mess in 2011, we also inherited a mess in regard to bogs and what had not been done. We grasped that nettle under difficult circumstances and we achieved a result. There is more of a way to go and, as I said, a Bill is at present being debated in the Dáil and it will be brought before the Seanad in time to bring closure to the issues in regard to turf cutting. I again commend Senator Feighan for his work on this issue in recent years.