Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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547. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service has written to landowners in the Slieve League area (details supplied) advising them to discontinue turf cutting in the area of the special area of conservation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19445/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Slieve League, County Donegal, is a candidate special area of conservation. Under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, certain activities within a candidate special area of conservation may not be undertaken, without my prior written consent, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

I am advised that, in March 2013, my Department wrote to 57 landowners or users in the Slieve League candidate special area of conservation informing them of the activities within or affecting the site that require my prior consent, as Minister. In May 2014, my Department wrote to a further 7 landowners or users.

The cutting of turf from intact (uncut) blanket bog areas for domestic use is one of the activities which may not be carried out within or affecting the site without my prior consent, as Minister. However, my prior consent is not required for the cutting of turf from existing blanket bog banks for domestic use.