Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position in respect of the turf cutters' enhanced compensation scheme of €1,500 per year for a maximum of 15 years plus €500 early payment for turf cutters who have to cease cutting turf in special compensation areas, which was announced this week; the amount this will cost each year for the next five years (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016); the number of turf cutters eligible for this scheme; the criteria for qualification for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14582/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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In 2011 the Government announced a compensation scheme for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation. The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme comprised a payment of €1,000 per year, index linked, for 15 years or, where feasible, relocation of turf cutters to non-designated bogs where they could continue to cut turf. Those wishing to relocate could avail of the financial payment or the delivery of 10 tonnes of cut turf while relocation sites are identified and prepared. The cost of acquiring and preparing relocation sites will be met by the State.

The Government has recently agreed to enhance this compensation package as follows:

a) The financial payment has been increased to €1,500 per annum, index linked, for 15 years;

b) An additional once-off payment of €500 for qualifying turf cutters will be provided this year where legal agreements are signed with me, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht;

c) The quantity of cut turf to be delivered, as an interim measure, to those opting for relocation has been increased to 15 tonnes per annum; and

d) There will also be flexibility in terms of the provision of more than 15 tonnes of cut turf for those wishing to relocate where more than one household in the same family has sourced its turf from a single bog plot. Claimants will have to provide evidence to back up the claim and this issue will be discussed further with interested parties.

This decision increases the total value of the financial payment by €8,000 per qualifying applicant to a total of €23,000 and these payments will be exempt from capital gains tax.

It is estimated that there are approximately 1,540 actively cut plots on the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation.

The qualifying criteria for the Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme require that:

· The claimant must have a legal interest in a site that is in one of the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation. This could be through ownership of land or a turbary (turf-cutting) right within one of these designated sites.

· The claimant must have been the owner or entitled to exercise turbary rights on the land in question on 25th May 2010.

· The turbary on the site must not be exhausted.

· The claimant must have been cutting turf on the lands in question during the relevant five year period (up to 25 May 2010 for 29 sites and up to 31 December 2011 for 24 sites).

· If turf was cut, on a site in a raised bog special area of conservation nominated for designation between 1997 and 1999, in 2011 and all other qualifying criteria are met, compensation will not apply until 2012.

The estimated cost of the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for each of the years 2012-2016 is set out in a Table: