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

It had been intended to restore all designated raised bogs, including raised bog NHAs, within three cycles, with the first operating for the duration of the National Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation Management Plan 2017-2022, which was approved by the Government and published in December 2017. This restoration programme links with the peatlands actions contained in the Government's Climate Action Plan 2019. In budget 2020, €7 million has been allocated to embark on an accelerated programme of peatland restoration and conservation funds, and some of this comes from the carbon fund set up in the budget. With the injection of this funding, it is intended to restore more than 1,800 ha of protected raised bog in 2020. The National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department are undertaking restoration works on State-owned lands within the protected raised bog network. Restoration measures on State-owned lands have been completed within a number of raised bog special area of conservation sites, with preparatory work ongoing for an NHA site. Further restoration works on State-owned lands have been prioritised for 2020 on a number of raised bog protected sites, including for an NHA site.

Restoration works have also been completed on raised bog special area of conservation sites under a project funded under the EU LIFE programme, with restoration measures on other sites to be undertaken. I do not think this amendment is necessary, so I will not be accepting it.