Vol. 471 No. 4
17 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the plans, if any, he has to stem the extensive losses of peatland habitat in view of the fact that Ireland has a considerable variety of peatlands, many of which are of international importance due to their wildfowl population, botanical, hydrological and zoological importance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21068/96]
The loss of peatland habitat in recent years has been a source of concern to me and my Department has made every effort to ensure that these habitats survive into the future. To this end my Department, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), has proposed that all intact peatlands, and those less severely damaged, be designated natural heritage areas (NHAs).
The NHA proposals have been advertised throughout the country as part of the consultation process prior to designation. This consultation process is ongoing at present and designations will be made when the Wildlife Act, 1976, has been amended by the Oireachtas. I hope to be in a position to introduce amending legislation before the end of this year and I am sure the Deputy's party will co-operate fully in its swift enactment, to allow for the formal designation of these important sites.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department is preparing the necessary regulations which will give effect to the EU Habitats Directive and I expect to be in a position to transpose the directive into national legislation later this month. I will then propose the best peatland sites for designation as special areas of conservation and no activity or development likely to have a significant damaging effect on these sites will be allowed, other than on grounds of human health or public safety.
My Department has designated 106 special protection areas under the EU Birds Directive for the protection of wild birds and their habitats. Twelve of these sites, covering an area of 59,500 hectares, are of a peatland type. The regulations I previously mentioned will provide additional protection, similar to that provided for special areas of conservation, to these sites also.
My Department has requested the planning authorities to refer all applications for planning permission likely to impact on the proposed sites to the NPWS for comment and recommendations. This provides an opportunity to the State to inform the relevant bodies should a development requiring planning permission be considered damaging to the environment. It is Government and EU policy to confine grant-aid to developments which are compatible with protecting the environment and my Department advises grant-aiding bodies in relation to this matter.
The NPWS has discussed the importance of peatlands in their own right as habitats with Coillte and Bord na Móna. It has reached agreement with these bodies that no further peat extraction or afforestation will occur on any peatlands of international importance.
The NPWS has also acquired approximately 30,000 hectares of peatlands, in addition to peatlands contained within the national parks, and, through ownership, the long-term conservation of these peatlands is assured.
Does the Minister agree with the Irish Peatland Conservation Plan 2000 which stated that, since 1987, the Government adopted a reactive approach to achieving the peatland conservation target? Does he agree there has not been the kind of strategy needed as regards our peatland? What strategy does he have in mind? Does he believe the peatlands are living archives? I listened carefully to his reply which seemed to be all platitudes. To have real conservation we need to establish the national heritage areas. We have been promised an amendment to wildlife legislation for some time, which is still not forthcoming. What does the Minister feel about the compensation issue in relation to NHAs? When will we have the proposed legislation on national parks and wildlife? What is the Minister doing to ensure the implementation of the wise use and conservation of wetlands, endorsed by the Government in March?
I answered some of the questions raised by the Deputy in my substantive original reply. We hope to introduce the amendment to the Wildlife Act, 1976, before the end of this year. I also gave details about the order I will make next month to introduce the Directive.
I agree that when responsibility in this area was transferred to me, there had been a considerable amount of neglect. I appreciate and share the Deputy's concern. Peatland covers 17.2 per cent of the State territory, which is under 2 million hectares. Of that, a considerable amount had been damaged in the absence of a policy. It is interesting that the National Parks and Wildlife Service estimates that 950,000 hectares of the original 1.2 million have been damaged. I inherited that situation of no policy and no protection.
For the NHAs to be established on a secure legal basis, the Wildlife Act, 1976, needs to be amended. It will be amended before the end of the year. I am also preparing the order to implement the directive later this month.
It is easy for the Deputy to say she finds my reply bland and vague. We came to this point of destruction of peatlands when Fianna Fáil was in power. When other parties were in power, no policy or conservation strategy was put in place. As regards compensation, which arises in special areas of conservation, I and my officials met representatives of the farming organisations and have made considerable progress on a range of matters.
The Minister did not think that yesterday at the IFA meeting in Galway.
I noted the Minister's belated consultation with the farming organisations as regards NHAs. There has been prevarication on this issue. Without the legal framework in place, does the Minister agree that damage to these habitats will continue? It is important to remind the Minister the latest report on the conservation of peatlands recognises that the last statement on nature conservation since 1987 was made in 1992 by Deputy Noel Treacy. What has the Minister done since then?
The Deputy is aware when I became Minister. I am aware of the work of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. I was a member of a delegation which received the deeds for bogs purchased by the citizens of Holland, at a time when we neglected our bogs.
I agree with the council, but I also agree that something needs to be done. Attempts were previously made to establish areas of scientific interest, and this gave rise to a Supreme Court challenge in the absence of a clear legal basis. This is why I am introducing amending legislation to the Wildlife Act, 1976. This will have a clear legal basis before the end of the year. It is important not to try to ride two horses at the same time. A conservation strategy for the peatlands must be negotiated with the agencies involved. We have consulted state agencies, including Coillte.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is proactive in its attempts to restore some of the damaged sites. In projects in the Clara and Raheenmore bogs in County Offaly, an attempt is being made through damming drains to conserve the peatland before it is damaged further. There is a policy, commitment and timescale in the legislation which contrasts with the widespread and sustained neglect of previous Governments.
The Minister said nothing about compensation.
I did. I said we had consultations on it. It is not true to say I said nothing about it.
What about the conservation of the wetlands?
