Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, for coming to the House today. I am delighted we are talking about the bogs of Ireland - the raised and blanket bogs, the upland and lowland blanket bogs and the different types of bog habitat.

There has been a long consultation and review process with stakeholders on this Bill regarding a review of the raised bogs. The Peatlands Council was set up 12 years ago in response to the social crisis that developed when people could not cut turf traditionally on raised bogs. Based on the recommendations of the Quirke report, a plan for managing raised bogs was developed in 2017. That has necessitated the introduction of this Bill to facilitate the reconfiguration of a new raised bog natural heritage area, NHA, network.

The point of the review process was to ensure that new raised bogs would be designated as natural heritage areas so as to replace degraded existing natural heritage areas. There has been a long public consultation process on the powers given in this Bill based on the following documents: the Government's 2017 peatlands strategy; the raised bog SAC management plan; and the raised bog NHA network review by the RPS Group undertaken for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS.

All stakeholders and the public have had an opportunity to consult and make submissions to those documents. None of those documents mention the de-designation of blanket bogs.

At the 11th hour, a few days before the Christmas break, the Government introduced amendments to include blanket bogs within the scope of the de-designation review process. I remind the House that we were initially talking about raised bogs but this was brought in at the last minute to include blanket bogs, which is a different type of habitat. None of the stakeholders I have spoken to was informed that blanket bogs were to be included in the Government’s review. BirdWatch Ireland, the Irish Wildlife Trust and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council were not aware of blanket bogs being open for de-designation until I spoke to them last week.

On 6 February 2019, the Joint Committee on Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht discussed the preservation of the biodiversity and ecosystems of peatlands. In that committee, no mention was made of plans to de-designate blanket bogs.

I call on the Minister to withdraw her amendments that include blanket bogs as there has been no public consultation with the public on them.

Data have not been provided to show that there is a need for this review of blanket bogs. I want to know from the Minister the scientific basis she has for the creation of a power to de-designate blanket bogs in natural heritage areas. Is she planning to have a consultation process to open this to a large variety of stakeholders, including members of the public? Does she have some research she can share with Members with regard to the blanket bogs and the reason they have been inserted in this legislation at the last minute?

I support what other Senators said earlier. Without a doubt there has been a long process with regard to raised bogs but there has been nothing with regard to blanket bogs, which is a whole other area that supports a very large diversity of habitats and communities of plants and animals. Is there is an existing cut turf bank in a blanket bog NHA or SAC that turf cutters still have a right to cut? Those activities are not restricted. However, a new turf bank cannot be opened. We have not seen any progress towards setting conservation objectives for blanket bogs and promised management plans have not materialised. There has been serious delay by the Department and the NPWS in designating new natural heritage areas and SACs.The Minister has interrupted a 12-year consultation process at the 11th hour to include blanket bogs without informing the stakeholders in that process. With regard to raised bogs, the proper time has been taken and consultation has happened in the right manner but I am concerned about the upland and lowland blanket bogs and the slipping in of an amendment at the last moment. I reserve the right to bring forward amendments on the next Stage of the Bill.