Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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150. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has had discussions with traditional turf cutters to resolve difficulties in implementing special areas of conservation and national heritage areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14001/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government recognises that domestic turf cutters have a traditional right to cut turf and that this right is balanced with the conservation objectives and legal obligations on the State.

Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of Ireland’s raised bog special areas of conservation (SACs) within the framework of the EU Habitats Directive. This has included intense and on-going engagement with turf cutting interests, the farming community, non-governmental organisations and with the European Commission. In addition, a long-term compensation scheme has been introduced to compensate turf cutters for their loss arising from the cessation.

The draft National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan was published in January 2014. It sets out how the raised bog SACs are to be managed into the future and how the needs of turf cutters are to be addressed. It is expected that this Plan will be finalised over the coming period and, subject to the approval of the Government, will be published thereafter.

The Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA) Network, published in January 2014, has concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. This will entail the phasing out of turf cutting on certain NHAs by 1 January 2017 and the partial or complete de-designation of certain NHAs. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish new legislation to de-designate the NHAs in question within the first 100 days of Government and to reviewing the timetable for the implementation of actions relating to NHAs in consultation with the EU.

Final resolution of all issues in relation to the protection of Ireland’s protected raised bogs will only be brought about by everyone working together, within the law, with my Department and with the Peatlands Council, which was established for the purpose of ensuring the input from all stakeholders.