Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if Cloonchambers bog in Castlerea, County Roscommon is a redesignated bog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7432/14]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Cloonchambers bog in County Roscommon is within one of 53 sites that have been nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for the protection of raised bog habitat. These sites are protected under EU law and there are clear legal parameters within the Habitats Directive that prescribe how such sites must be protected. There are no proposals to change the designation of these SAC sites. Further detail in relation to the legal provisions which apply to raised bog SACs is available in the draft National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan, which is currently open for public consultation and is available to view on my Department's website.

Cloonchambers bog is for the most part in public ownership and it will remain an SAC. There is alternative State-owned non-designated bog nearby which is under consideration for the relocation of qualifying turf cutters from Cloonchambers Bog.