Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he is in a purchase a parcel of bogland at a location (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [17148/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Arising from the requirements under the Habitats Directive to cease turf cutting on 53 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), earlier this year my Department sought expressions of interests from land owners, or turbary rights owners, who might wish to provide alternative sites, through sale or long-term lease, for use by those who wish to continue turf cutting. Such sites should be within a reasonable distance of the raised bog SACs affected by cessation and only sites in non-designated bogs are under consideration (i.e. sites not within Special Areas of Conservation or Natural Heritage Areas). Information on the location of raised bog SACs may be found on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department (www.npws.ie). If the individual referred to in the Deputy's Question has a suitable site for sale or long-term lease, he should contact my Department by calling Lo-Call 1890-253-147 or (053) 9117310, emailing designated.bogs@ahg.gov.ie, or by writing to: Site Protection Unit, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Newtown Road, Wexford.