The Government has put in place a compensation scheme for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation. The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme now comprises a payment of €1,500 per year, index linked, for 15 years or, where feasible, relocation of turf cutters to non-designated bogs where they can continue to cut turf. Those wishing to relocate can avail of the financial payment or the delivery of 15 tonnes of cut turf per annum while relocation sites are identified and prepared. The costs of acquiring and preparing relocation sites will be met by the State. An additional once-off payment of €500 for qualifying turf cutters will be provided where legal agreements are signed with me, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. To date, 2,275 applications have been received by my Department under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme. Details of the applications are set out in the tables that follow this reply.
Payments have been made on the basis that applicants have indicated that they fulfil all the qualifying criteria of the scheme in the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme application form. My Department has been checking and will be continuing to check that all of the qualifying criteria of the scheme have been met. To date, no applicant has been informed that he or she does not fulfil the qualifying criteria. Two applicants have been rejected because the areas on which they have been cutting turf are not within a raised bog special area of conservation. My Department has also begun to make deliveries of 15 tonnes of turf to applicants under the scheme. To date, some 36 applicants have been approved for these deliveries. The total amount of money spent to date under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme is approximately €1.3 million. Of this, some €51,000 was paid during 2011 and the balance has been paid in 2012. The estimated cost of the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for 2012 is €5 million.
29 Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation nominated for designation between 1997 and 1999
|
Site Name
|
County
|
Number of Applications Received
|
Number opting for the Financial Payment
|
Number expressing an interest in relocation
|
Number of payments made
|
|
Killyconny Bog SAC
|
Cavan/ Meath
|
45
|
37
|
8
|
1
|
|
Barroughter Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
44
|
32
|
12
|
17
|
|
Cloonmoylan Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
66
|
55
|
11
|
26
|
|
Kilsallagh Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
22
|
15
|
7
|
16
|
|
Lisnageeragh Bog and Ballinstack Turlough SAC
|
Galway
|
19
|
11
|
8
|
6
|
|
Lough Corrib SAC
|
Galway/Mayo
|
70
|
63
|
7
|
32
|
|
Lough Lurgeen Bog /Glenamaddy Turlough SAC
|
Galway
|
25
|
17
|
8
|
10
|
|
Shankill West Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
|
Sheheree (Ardagh) Bog SAC
|
Kerry
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
Ballynafagh Bog SAC
|
Kildare
|
54
|
26
|
28
|
18
|
|
Flughany Bog SAC
|
Mayo/ Sligo
|
15
|
0
|
15
|
6
|
|
All Saints Bog and Esker SAC
|
Offaly
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
|
Clara Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
106
|
50
|
56
|
55
|
|
Ferbane Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
|
Mongan Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
|
Moyclare Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
25
|
4
|
21
|
21
|
|
Raheenmore Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Sharavogue Bog SAC
|
Offaly
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
Bellanagare Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
147
|
109
|
38
|
92
|
|
Carrowbehy/ Caher Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
|
Cloonchambers Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
22
|
18
|
4
|
8
|
|
Derrinea Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
Cloonshanville Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
2
|
|
Ballyduff/ Clonfinane Bog SAC
|
Tipperary
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
|
Kilcarren-Firville Bog SAC
|
Tipperary
|
21
|
18
|
3
|
10
|
|
Garriskil Bog SAC
|
Westmeath
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Carrownagappul Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
115
|
55
|
60
|
53
|
|
Lough Forbes SAC
|
Longford/ Roscommon
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
0
|
|
Corliskea/Trien/Cloonfelliv Bog SAC
|
Galway/ Roscommon
|
69
|
57
|
12
|
20
|
|
Total
|
|
911
|
598
|
313
|
400
|
24 Raised Bog Special Areas of Conservation nominated for designation in 2002
|
Site Name
|
County
|
Number of Applications Received
|
Number opting for the Financial Payment
|
Number expressing an interest in relocation
|
Number of payments made
|
|
Lough Ree SAC
|
Ros/LD/WM
|
244
|
174
|
70
|
75
|
|
Callow Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
77
|
61
|
16
|
28
|
|
River Moy SAC
|
Mayo/Ros/ Sligo
|
63
|
54
|
9
|
24
|
|
Mouds Bog SAC
|
Kildare
|
73
|
46
|
27
|
19
|
|
Coolrain Bog SAC
|
Laois
|
49
|
41
|
8
|
25
|
|
Knockacoller Bog SAC
|
Laois
|
25
|
20
|
5
|
3
|
|
Carn Park Bog SAC
|
Westmeath
|
51
|
23
|
28
|
14
|
|
Crosswood Bog SAC
|
Westmeath
|
66
|
35
|
31
|
15
|
|
Drumalough Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
17
|
16
|
1
|
5
|
|
Ballynamona Bog and Corkip Lough SAC
|
Roscommon
|
53
|
27
|
26
|
13
|
|
Moneybeg and Clareisland Bogs SAC
|
Meath/ Westmeath
|
79
|
67
|
12
|
42
|
|
Ardagullion Bog SAC
|
Longford
|
36
|
27
|
9
|
10
|
|
Mount Hevey Bog SAC
|
Meath/ Westmeath
|
67
|
31
|
36
|
11
|
|
Tullaher Lough and Bog SAC
|
Clare
|
187
|
161
|
26
|
67
|
|
Brown Bog SAC
|
Longford
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
|
Camderry Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
14
|
0
|
14
|
2
|
|
Clooneen Bog SAC
|
Longford
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
3
|
|
Corbo Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
59
|
36
|
23
|
18
|
|
Curraghlehanagh Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
41
|
23
|
18
|
11
|
|
Moanveanlagh Bog SAC
|
Kerry
|
25
|
1
|
24
|
14
|
|
Monivea Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
32
|
28
|
4
|
17
|
|
Redwood Bog SAC
|
Tipperary
|
70
|
64
|
6
|
43
|
|
Tullaghanrock Bog SAC
|
Roscommon
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
Ardgraigue Bog SAC
|
Galway
|
18
|
1
|
17
|
9
|
|
Total
|
|
1364
|
948
|
416
|
468
|
|
Overall Total
|
|
2275
|
1546
|
729
|
868
|
