Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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388. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 780 of 17 January 2017, the position regarding a specific case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3173/17]

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 the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question.

I am advised that a payment of €1,500 in respect of Year 1 of 15 (2012), a payment of €1,518 in respect of Year 2 of 15 (2013) and a payment of €1,521 in respect of Year 4 of 15 (2015) have been made to this applicant. In addition, a once-off payment of €500 has been made to the applicant in respect of the signing of a legal agreement under this scheme.

The qualifying criteria for the scheme as it refers to special areas of conservation 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.

An onsite inspection of the bog plot in question is required, as part of my Department’s verification procedures. My officials have been in contact with the representative of the applicant to arrange same.

Following this inspection, my Department will be in a position to examine the application further.