Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What the Minister of State has described in terms of public consultation and consideration of our European obligations is a process that may happen regarding the effects on the environment of proposals arising from a review. All of the processes – the consultation, the consideration of our European obligations and so forth – concern proposals that arise from a review. They do not precede a review. In effect, the Minister of State is saying that if a review is conducted that comes up with proposals for the de-designation of a natural heritage area, including both raised and blanket bogs, then there would be public consultation. My point is that it is not really the same as what happened to raised bogs in that the consultation and research was not in consideration of a specific proposal on the designation or de-designation of specific natural heritage areas. There were overall scientific conversations, audits and public consultations regarding raised bogs, as to what our public policy should be in that area and, for example, if de-designation should even be a consideration in respect of raised bogs. We looked at what factors should be considered in de-designation and in generating a proposal for de-designation.

While I said the issues the Minister of State has identified were not addressed, he is correct to say they do come into play, but they do so in response to a proposal for designation or de-designation. As the Minister of State correctly said, there is no obligation on a Minister to have a blanket bog review. It is something a Minister may do. Again, it is a little akin to putting the cart before the horse. We should have an overall national audit of blanket bogs and consider how they fit into all our different national strategies and then consider the appropriate policy proposals in respect of them, rather than what we have here, which is simply that a specific proposal on the designation or de-designation of a specific blanket bog may go to a public consultation. It is not the same. In that sense, I am disappointed the Minister of State is not able to accept the amendment.