asked the Minister for Industry and Energy the present position in relation to the survey of bogs in north and west County Roscommon which was commissioned by his Department and carried out by Bord na Móna; and when he intends to publish the findings of this survey.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Roscommon Bogs Survey.
13.
A preliminary survey of the bogs in north and west Roscommon was carried out by Bord na Móna. The survey was not commissioned by the Department of Industry and Energy but was undertaken by the board as part of a continuing programme to accumulate data on undeveloped boglands. Bord na Móna have now completed an assessment of the survey and have concluded that, judged against all relevant factors at present, large-scale mechanised turf production from the boglands by the board would not be economic.
It is not the practice of Bord na Móna to publish details of their bogland surveys. The details are, however, available to any interested party, on request at the board's head office in Dublin.
This will be a big blow to the deprived areas of my constituency. I ask the Minister to direct the board, as previous Ministers have done, to reinvestigate this whole question. They have not done a proper survey. The people in that area tell me that the bogs are there and are a failure. The Minister should direct the board to conduct a survey of those boglands in west Roscommon which are available to provide the energy and to provide for other factors in the region.
Does the Deputy think it advisable when Bord na Móna have concluded a survey to direct them to go against that survey?
The Minister is saying——
The Minister should answer and the Deputy should ask the questions.
The Minister is asking me a supplementary question.
I am putting the matter in as kindly a light as possible.
The Minister is responsible and he is not carrying out his responsibilities.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 14.
Would the Minister agree with regard to surveys such as this by Bord na Móna that the targets may be set unnecessarily high? He mentioned large-scale developments. Does he feel that the survey could be used to find out what developments other than large-scale, maybe of a minor nature, could lead to? Should this not be included in any survey carried out?
The board were aware of that. Their conclusion was that they did not see any valid reason for their operations in that area.
Would the Minister agree that when you carry out surveys such as this you should not have such marked terms of reference? The survey refers only to large-scale development. Could the survey not be used to give an idea of small-scale or even private development in these areas?
It is open to private development.
I asked the Minister for Agriculture before Christmas to give me the terms on the bogs in County Roscommon in the possession of the Irish Land Commission. According to the Minister's reply, Bord na Móna seem to imply that they wish to exercise their options over them. This question is germane to people in private development. It is vital to people with private commercial interests to develop this small, uneconomic tract of bogland.
All of these surveys are open to any interested party.