Written answers
Tuesday, 2 October 2018
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
National Raised Bog Management Plan
Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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95. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the outcomes of the pilot of the peatlands community engagement scheme 2018; and the level of investment received by applicants from County Westmeath. [39450/18]
Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Under the peatlands community engagement scheme, which is operating as a pilot scheme this year, I have approved grant funding of just under €137,000 to twelve local community groups and organisations for a variety of projects focused on the conservation and revitalisation of raised bog special areas of conservation, natural heritage areas and other raised bog areas. This scheme recognises the investment and efforts made by communities in their local areas to conserve and protect the natural environment.
Projects being supported include the development of walking trails and looped walks around bogs, visitor facilitation in local community buildings, local area amenity improvements along with restoration works to raised bog areas.
A review of the pilot scheme will be undertaken later this year by my Department. Subject to the outcome of the review and the normal budgetary processes, it is anticipated that the scheme will operate in 2019.
Funding of €750 has been awarded under the scheme to a local group to support a photographic survey and photographic exhibition of flora and fauna at Cloncrow Bog (New Forest) Natural Heritage Area, County Westmeath. Details of all the projects supported under the scheme in 2018 are set out in the table below.
| Organisation | Location | Description of Project | Grant Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looscaun Shannonside Rural Development Group. | Cloonmoylan and Barroughter Bogs Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Co. Galway. | Feasibility exercise in relation to the development of walking and cycling trails and local bog road improvement works | €26,702.50 |
| Galway Teleworking Group / Carrownagappul Bog SAC Committee. | Carrownagappul Bog Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Co. Galway | Education outlet for primary and post primary students and bog road improvement works. | €15,000 |
| Community Wetlands Forum (under the umbrella of Irish Rural Link). | Members of the Forum include: Abbeyleix Bog Co. Laois, Cabragh Wetlands Co. Tipperary, Schohaboy Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA) Co. Tipperary, Clara Bog SAC, Co. Offaly, Ounamoun Nature Reserve, Co. Longford, Drummin Bog Co. Carlow, Girley Bog NHA Co. Meath. Further details available at www.communitywetlandsforum.ie/ | Engagement of a part-time development officer to implement the Community Wetlands Forum Strategic Plan 2017-2020. | €25,000 |
| Glenamaddy Tidy Towns. | Lough Lurgeen and Glenamaddy Turlough SAC, Co. Galway. | Feasibility study to design a series of looped walks and trails. | €12,500 |
| Gorthaganny Community Development Ltd. | Carrowbehy/Caher Bog SAC, Co. Roscommon. | Interpretive facilities at the Gorthaganny Community Hall and for signage and benches along with local bog road improvement works. | €20,315 |
| Kilteevan Tidy Towns. | Cloonlarge Loop Walk, Co. Roscommon. | Bog road improvement works, signage, barn owl boxes and the printing of greeting cards, postcards and calendars. | €17,000 |
| ETHOS – Everything Tyrrellspass Has on Show. | Cloncrow Bog (New Forest) Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Co.Westmeath. | Photographic survey and photographic exhibition of flora and fauna of local bogs | €750 |
| Irish Peatlands Conservation Council. | Girley Bog NHA, Co. Meath. | Community training and demonstration of Sphagnum transfer peatland habitat restoration technique. | €3,900 |
| Mount Allen Residents. | Mount Allen raised bog, Co. Roscommon. | An ecohydrological assessment of Mount Allen raised bog. | €2,000 |
| Clooncraff Residents. | Clooncraff Bog (part of Lough Ree SAC), Co. Roscommon. | Road improvement works and the installation of seating benches at the Clooncraff Bog. | €4,952 |
| Ballygar Tidy Towns. | Ballygar Bog NHA, Co. Galway. | Programme of talks and practical events (including anti-litter campaign, clean up and baseline surveys) along with a series of informative leaflets to be produced in relation to flora and fauna of the local bogs. | €1,500 |
| St. Killians Heritage Trust. | Killyconny Bog SAC, Co. Cavan. | Signage and the re-fit of the History Room at St Killian’s visitor centre to include wall wrap and information panels. | €6,931 |
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