Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2009
383 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway in respect of the sale of a bog under the cessation of turf cutting scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40514/09]
View answerHaving regard to available budgetary resources, priority is being given under the bog purchase scheme this year to those wishing to sell their interest in the 32 raised bog sites which were nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation in 1999. For these sites, the derogation given by the Government, which allowed the continuation of turf cutting for personal domestic use, expires in 2009.
The person in question in this case owns land within Killure Bog, a Natural Heritage Area designated in 2004, and the 10 year derogation period will not expire until 2014. Land transactions within this area, accordingly, will not qualify for priority attention this year.
