Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received sanction from the Minister for Finance to pay bog owners an acreage top-up payment on bog purchased prior to the recent agreement with the IFA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16246/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2004 my Department concluded an agreement with the farming pillar under Sustaining Progress which involved increased rates of compensation for the cessation of turf cutting in bogs that have been proposed as designated conservation areas. This agreement incorporates retrospective provisions benefiting landowners who participated in the original 1999 scheme for disposal of raised bogs and turbary rights to my Department. Payments of retrospection to benefiting landowners will be put in place shortly.