Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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254. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a decision will be made on three applications made under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme by persons (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in considering these applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25481/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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An application for compensation, under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, has been received by my Department from each of the individuals referred to in the Deputy’s Question. The qualifying criteria for the scheme are that:

· The claimant must have a legal interest in one of the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation – ownership or turbary right;

· The claimant must have been the owner or entitled to exercise turbary rights on the land in question on 25 May 2010;

· The turbary on the site must not be exhausted;

· The claimant must have been cutting turf on the land in question during the relevant five year period; and

· No turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.

My Department then undertook a further assessment of each application to ascertain whether each applicant appeared to be at a loss of a supply of fuel for his/her household arising from the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation.

I am advised that this further assessment has been completed and an official of the Department has decided that each applicant is not eligible for compensation under the scheme.

My Department has written to the applicants setting out the decisions made in each case. The applicants have also been informed that they may request a Departmental review of these decisions in the event that they disagree with them.