Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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699. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when compensation will be paid to a person (details supplied) under the voluntary bog purchase scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37154/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question applied to sell his interest in land in a raised bog natural heritage area under the voluntary bog purchase scheme, administered by my Department.

The 2014 Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. Arising from this review, 46 natural heritage areas (including parts of 7 sites) are scheduled for de-designation as it has been judged that the contribution of these sites to the attainment of the national conservation objective for raised bog is expected to be marginal and/or restoration would be prohibitively expensive for the conservation benefits achieved. Domestic turf cutting may continue on these sites, while large scale or commercial turf cutting will continue to be regulated through other consent systems.

The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 provides for the de-designation of these sites. This Bill is proceeding though the necessary stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The natural heritage area referred to in the Deputy’s Question is one of those scheduled for de-designation. Consequently, as already advised to the individual concerned, my Department will not be proceeding with the purchase of the interest that he applied to sell.