Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 772: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to grant turf cutters in Bord na Móna bogs permission to cut their own turf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1044/11]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The restrictions on turf cutting arising from the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations and the Wildlife Acts apply to sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation and Natural Heritage Areas.

Turf-cutting for domestic purposes was allowed to continue for a period of ten years following notification of the then Minister's intention to designate these sites. Survey work over the last ten years has revealed that ongoing domestic turf-cutting and associated drainage on raised bog sites is continuing to damage the bogs and their protected habitats. This ten-year period has now expired for 31 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). It will expire for the remaining 24 raised bog SACs at the end of this year and for 75 raised bog Natural Heritage Areas at the end of 2013. Turf-cutting cannot proceed beyond the ten-year period on these sites without my explicit consent. These restrictions will apply regardless of who owns the bogs or has turbary rights relating to them,