PJ Murphy (Fine Gael)

I wish to draw attention to the questionable special areas of conservation, SAC, protection status of three bogs in south-east Galway, namely Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs. These were designated to be sites of community importance, SCIs, in 2002. Under the habitats directive and EU rules, if SCIs are intended to be made SACs, this must be done within six years of them being designated SCIs. These three bogs, where local families have cut turf for decades, if not centuries, were made SCIs back in 2002 but were not made SACs until 2021. Under of the habitats directive and other EU regulations, that was 16 years too late. In April of this year, local families went to cut turf as they have done every year in the past. A High Court injunction was granted within 48 hours ordering them to desist from doing what they have done for generations. As law-abiding people, they did so. They desisted and they have not returned to save the turf that is sitting, wet, on the turf banks. These are law-abiding people. They do not want trouble.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, is attempting to force people to stay off their own property and to stop doing what they have done over for generations. I call into question the legality of the SAC status that the relevant authorities are trying to enforce here. This problem can be solved very easily, the fear can be taken from these people and they can return to their bogs if an activity requiring consent, ARC, order is signed by the Minister allowing them to return. I urge that common sense prevail. I urge the Minister to make these three boglands subject to an ARC within the next week to allow these people to get back in to save the turf that has already been cut and that is sitting wet on the banks. I call on the Minister to intervene quickly to lift the fear from these people on these three bogs in south-east Galway and to let them get back to doing what they have been doing to heat their homes for generations.