Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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667. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is aware that turf cutters who complied with the restriction to their bog in the past have received no compensation under the turf cutting compensation scheme, given that turf has not been cut in the previous five years and turf cutters who continued cutting turf illegally on the same bog received compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45243/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was established in 2011 for those who have been required to cease turf cutting on the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation. The scheme has been extended to land owners and turbary right holders affected by the curtailment of turf cutting on raised bog natural heritage areas.

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 or 36 raised bog natural heritage areas – 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.