Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Feb 2001

Vol. 530 No. 6

Written Answers. - Special Areas of Conservation.

Denis Naughten

Question:

342 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 288 and 289 of 18 May 2000, she will indicate the percentage of raised bog and blanket bog in State ownership through Bord na Móna which is designated as a special area of conservation; if it is a requirement of her Department to ascertain the ownership of such designated bogs prior to payment of compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4835/01]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

My Department has proposed more than 250,000 ha of blanket and raised bog for SAC designation. Bord na Móna has sold or transferred bogs in its ownership proposed for SAC designation to Dúchas, other than some small areas where there are title problems. The bogs retained by Bord na Móna, other than the small areas I have already mentioned, are worked or degraded ecologically and fail to meet the criteria for designation. Accordingly, the percentage of bogs remaining in the ownership of Bord na Móna, which have been proposed for designation, is negligible, of the order of one quarter of 1%. It is a standard requirement of my Department that persons claiming compensation provide details of ownership prior to payment being made.