Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway concerning the sale of a bog to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32065/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to my reply to Question No. 1028 of 16 September 2009. The position is unchanged.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 317: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway in respect of the sale of a bog to his Department; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that contracts were signed more than a year ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32066/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Contracts of sale in this case have not been executed on my behalf.

Having regard to available budgetary resources, priority is being given under the scheme this year to those wishing to sell their interest in the 32 raised bog sites which were nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation in 1999. For these sites, the derogation given by the Government, which allowed the continuation of turf cutting for personal domestic use, expires in 2009.

The persons in question in this case own land within Killure Bog, a Natural Heritage Area designated in 2004, and the 10 year derogation period will not expire until 2014. Land transactions within this area, accordingly, will not qualify for priority attention this year.