Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to any peat extraction by commercial contractors within the 31 raised bog special areas of conservation where the derogation permitting extraction for domestic use no longer applies; the nature and numbers of these contractors and the extent of any damage caused by their activities since 2007 and during the 2010 cutting season [38177/10]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm that, further to his press release of May 2010 announcing the ending of peat extraction on 31 raised bog SACs but referring to continued application of the derogations on other peatland SCIs, that peat extraction activities for domestic purposes can continue without ministerial intervention under the terms of the derogations in 23 raised bog SACs and all blanket bog SACs [38178/10]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm whether for purposes of entitlement to the derogations permitting extraction in raised bogs SACs, he considers that persons with turbary rights in the peatlands affected can avail of the services of independent contractors to carry out extraction activities through supply and or operation of mechanical equipment [38179/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 to 236, inclusive, together.

Cutting or drainage works of any nature are no longer permitted without my consent on the 31 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) where the derogation expired last year. My Department is not aware of any turf extraction for commercial purposes on any SAC. Turf extraction for commercial purposes in SACs and Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) is prohibited.

The extraction of turf for their personal domestic needs by those with turbary rights in the 24 raised bog SACs nominated for designation in 2002 may continue until the end of next year, when the derogation for these sites will elapse. For raised bog NHAs, turf extraction by turbary right owners for their domestic needs may continue until the end of 2013. Such turf extraction may also continue on blanket bog SACs under existing restrictions, which include a prohibition on extraction for commercial purposes, restriction of cutting to existing face banks and the prohibition of the use of certain machines such as the "sausage" machine. Where individuals have a legal right to cut turf in an SAC or NHA, they are free to contract a third party to carry out the cutting of their annual domestic supply for them.