Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the spend on the cessation of the turf-cutting compensation scheme in each year since its establishment; the number of persons who availed of this scheme in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24835/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Ireland, like all EU Member States, Ireland is bound by the requirements of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. These Directives aim to ensure the protection of habitats and species which have been selected for conservation within special areas of conservation and special protection areas.

Significant efforts have been made by the State to resolve the issue of the protection of Ireland’s raised bog special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas within the framework of the Habitats Directive. This has included the establishment of the Peatlands Council, intensive and on-going engagement with turf cutting interests, the farming community, non-governmental organisations and with the European Commission, as well as the establishment of a long-term compensation scheme for affected turf cutters.

The Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (CTCCS) was established in 2011 for domestic turf cutters arising from the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation and was extended in 2014 to include raised bog natural heritage areas. This scheme is applicable to turf cutters who have been affected by the designation of raised bogs as special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas encompassed by the scheme and who fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme. It is comprised of a payment of €1,500 per annum, index-linked, for 15 years, or relocation, where feasible, to a non-designated bog, together with payment of €500 on the signing of a legal agreement under the scheme.

2590 applicants are regularly receiving compensation under the scheme. There are other affected turf cutters, who may qualify under the scheme, who have not yet applied. I would encourage them to do so.

While applicants are waiting for relocation sites to be investigated, prepared and developed, they may, on an interim basis, opt for the annual payment of €1,500 (index-linked) or opt to receive an annual supply of up to 15 tonnes of cut turf delivered to their homes. To date, 1,215 deliveries of turf have been made to applicants.

Of the 2,590 applicants regularly receiving compensation under the scheme, 185 have applied for relocation to a non-designated bog.

The total spend to the end of 2020 on payments, turf deliveries and relocation under the CTCCS was €46.9 million, the breakdown of this expenditure per year is as follows:

The expenditure to date in 2021 is in the region of €1.5 million, with 732 applicants having already received a compensation payment for 2021. 14 applicants have been relocated to non-designated bogs in 2021 to date.