Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a ministerial order to allow the cutting of turf at a bog (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26901/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Directive on the Conservation of Habitats, Flora and Fauna (92/43/EEC), commonly known as “the Habitats Directive” requires Member States to select sites, for the protection of habitats and species which are considered threatened in the EU territory and listed on the Annexes to the Directive. Annex I of the Habitats Directive includes priority habitats such as Active Raised Bog, which are considered to be in danger of disappearing within the EU territory.

Ireland has long selected and protected a number of sites for the protection of Annex I raised bog habitats, including the bog referred to, and designated these bogs as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Approximately 9% of Ireland's original raised bog resource is protected for conservation purposes.

These raised bog SACs are included in European Sites as defined by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations, 2011 ("the 2011 Regulations"). The cutting of turf may not be carried out or caused to be carried out or continued to be carried out on these plots by any person save in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 30 of the 2011 Regulations and/or with the consent of the relevant authority. It is a criminal offence subject to prosecution to do so without the required Ministerial and/or relevant statutory consent. Further details of the Activities Requiring Consent process are available on my Department's website www.npws.ie

The cessation of turf cutting is generally required on all raised bog SACs to ensure Ireland meets its habitat conservation obligations.

To facilitate the cessation of turf cutting, the Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (CTCCS) was launched in 2011, from date of cessation for 15 years, to compensate households affected by the restriction on turf cutting for domestic use on raised bog SACs. Further details about peatlands are available on the website at www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting.