Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will indicate arising from on-going discussions with turf cutters any agreement that can be reached whereby alternative and adjacent sites in respect of conservation criteria requirements initiated at national level as opposed to EU originating special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42341/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will indicate in respect of all bogs used by traditional turf cutters in County Kildare, if agreement has been reached in respect of displacement arising from special areas of conservation or nationally generated conservation measures; if he or his Department have engaged directly with the representatives of the turf cutters at all such locations and or achieved a satisfactory or amicable solution to the issues; if any particular effort is being made to identify replacement conservation bog land available and immediately adjacent to those areas originally proposed; if he expects to be in a position to finalise any such matters in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42342/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of traditional turf cutters in County Kildare affected by national or EU conservation measures; the extent to which on-going discussions are taking place with a view to resolution of any outstanding difference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42343/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 140, inclusive, together.

There are 2 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation in County Kildare affected by the cessation of turf-cutting for reasons of environmental protection under the EU Habitats Directive. There are also 2 Natural Heritage Area raised bogs in County Kildare designated under national law in accordance with the provisions of the Wildlife Acts.

Details of raised bog Special Areas of Conservation and Natural Heritage Areas in County Kildare are set out in the table below, including the number of applications received under the cessation of turf-cutting compensation scheme, administered by my Department, the number of applicants expressing an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs, and the number of payments and the number of turf deliveries made to applicants.

Discussions have been ongoing with turf cutter representatives from Ballynafagh Bog Special Area of Conservation. Progress has been made with a view to the relocation of qualifying turf cutters to a non-designated bog for the 2013 turf-cutting season. There has also been ongoing liaison with turf cutter representatives from Mouds Bog Special Area of Conservation in relation to various aspects of the cessation of turf-cutting compensation scheme. My Department will continue to engage with the communities affected with the objective of reaching solutions which meet the needs of turf cutters while complying with all national and EU law.

In May 2010, the then Government decided that turf-cutting should come to an end on all raised bog Natural Heritage Areas at the end of 2013. However, the Programme for Government undertook to review the situation with regard to Natural Heritage Areas and the future of turf-cutting on such sites will be considered as part of that review.

It is intended that the review will be completed prior to the commencement of the 2014 turf-cutting season. The outcomes of the review and the proposed approach to the future of turf-cutting within these sites will be discussed as part of the Government’s ongoing dialogue with the European Commission regarding compliance with EU law in this area. For example, while Natural Heritage Areas are designated under national law, they are recognised as areas of environmental sensitivity for the purposes of peat extraction within the terms of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

The outcome of the review of Natural Heritage Areas may also be relevant in relation to the possibility of relocating turf cutters from raised bog Special Areas of Conservation. In relation to such raised bogs, my Department is in the process of developing a National Raised Bog Special Area of Conservation Management Plan and has recently published a document outlining the proposed approach to the development of the plan on my Department’s website at www.npws.ie.

I also intend to elaborate an overarching policy on peatlands in a proposed National Peatlands Strategy, which my Department will be preparing in consultation with the Peatlands Council.

Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation and Natural Heritage Areas in County Kildare