Written answers

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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38. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update with regard to the restrictions on turf cutting in certain counties; the number of turf cutters by county who have been compensated; the average compensation package awarded; the total spend on compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40148/14]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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3,017 applications for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for raised bog special areas of conservation (SACs) have been received and acknowledged by my Department. 6,116 payments and 610 deliveries of turf have been made in respect of the applications received. In addition, 1,197 once-off incentive payments of €500 have been made to applicants who have signed and returned legal agreements under the scheme to my Department.The total expenditure amounts to over €10.9 million. This expenditure is comprised of amounts paid in respect of annual payments, turf deliveries and once-off incentive payments.

Details of the expenditure on annual payments and once-off incentive payments under the scheme to date, grouped by county, are set out in the following Table 1 SACs. A number of raised bog special areas of conservation straddle more than one county and it is not possible to give a single figure per county where this arises.

The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been extended to land owners and turbary right holders affected by the restrictions on turf cutting in raised bog natural heritage areas (NHAs). 147 applications have been received and 68 payments have been made at a cost of over €103,000 to applicants from these sites. Details of the expenditure under the scheme to date for these sites, grouped by county, are set out in the following Table 2 NHAs.

My Department estimates that in the region of 2,200 individual applicants have received payments under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, with the average amount paid under the scheme to each individual in the region of €5,000.

TABLE 1 SACs

Site CodeName of raised bog special area of conservationCountyNo. of ApplicantsExpenditure on annual payments and once-off incentive payments under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme
000006Killyconny Bog (Cloghbally)Cavan/ Meath46€9,560
000231Barroughter BogGalway95
000248Cloonmoylan BogGalway94
000285Kilsallagh BogGalway38
000296Lisnageeragh Bog and Ballinstack TurloughGalway25
000301Lough Lurgeen Bog/ Glenamaddy TurloughGalway34
000326Shankill West BogGalway10
001242Carrownagappul BogGalway137
002347Camderry BogGalway14
002350Curraghlehanagh BogGalway53
002352Monivea BogGalway61
002356Ardgraigue BogGalway25€2,023,100
000297Lough CorribGalway/

Mayo
125€580,140
000382Sheheree (Ardagh) BogKerry1
002351Moanveanlagh BogKerry32€105,650
000391Ballynafagh BogKildare60
002331Mouds BogKildare149€481,090
000440Lough ReeRoscommon/ Longford/ Westmeath345€1,148,580
000497Flughany BogMayo/

Sligo
18€65,410
000566All Saints Bog and EskerOffaly6
000572Clara BogOffaly108
000575Ferbane BogOffaly4
000580Mongan BogOffaly5
000581Moyclare BogOffaly25
000582Raheenmore BogOffaly0
000585Sharavogue BogOffaly4€426,160
000592Bellanagare BogRoscommon213
000595Callow BogRoscommon107
000597Carrowbehy/Caher BogRoscommon3
000600Cloonchambers BogRoscommon31
000604Derrinea BogRoscommon1
000614Cloonshanville BogRoscommon7
002338 Drumalough BogRoscommon23
002339 Ballynamona Bog and Corkip LoughRoscommon67
002349Corbo BogRoscommon78
002354Tullaghanrock BogRoscommon2€1,949,080
000641Ballyduff/Clonfinane BogTipperary2
000647Kilcarren-Firville BogTipperary26
002353Redwood BogTipperary84€426,630
000679Garriskil BogWestmeath1
002336 Carn Park BogWestmeath70
002337Crosswood BogWestmeath76€497,570
001818Lough Forbes ComplexRoscommon/ Longford11€7,518
002110Corliskea/Trien/Cloonfelliv BogGalway/ Roscommon89€379,410
002298 River Moy Mayo/ Roscommon/ Sligo81€131,330
002332 Coolrain BogLaois62
002333 Knockacoller BogLaois31€297,810
002340Moneybeg and Clareisland BogsMeath/ Westmeath97
002342Mount Hevey BogMeath/ Westmeath68€527,720
002341 Ardagullion BogLongford44
002346Brown BogLongford7
002348Clooneen BogLongford15€191,190
002343Tullaher Lough and BogClare207€585,680
TABLE 2 NHAs
Site CodeName of Raised Bog Natural Heritage AreaCountyNo. of ApplicantsExpenditure under the Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme
000985Lough Kinale and Derragh Lough Cavan, Longford and Westmeath2€1,521
000993Ayle Lower Bog Clare11€12,168
000229Ballygar Bog Galway6€21,294
000281Keeloges Bog Galway1
000307Lough Tee Bog Galway2
000321Raford River Bog Galway5
001227Aughrim Bog Galway10
001254Derrinlough Bog Galway2
000221Moorfield Bog/Farm Cottage Galway and Roscommon1€1,521
000333Anna More Bog Kerry9€7,605
001405Cashel Bog (Leitrim) Leitrim9€3,042
000422Aghnamona Bog Leitrim and Longford2€3,024
000691Rinn River Leitrim and Longford1
001450Mount Jessop Bog Longford3€1,521
001580Girley Bog Meath13€4,563
002033Daingean Bog Offaly1
000564River Little Brosna Callows Offaly and Tipperary3
000565Clonydonnin Bog Offaly and Westmeath7€1,521
001623Carrickynaghtan Bog Roscommon9€9,126
000640Arragh More Bog Tipperary6€10,647
000937Scohaboy Bog Tipperary12
000674Ballynagrenia and Ballinderry Bog Westmeath6€25,857
000677Cloncrow Bog (New Forest) Westmeath2
000684Lough Derravaragh Westmeath10
000694Wooddown Bog Westmeath7
001812Lough Garr Westmeath6
002323Milltownpass Bog Westmeath1

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