Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2012
276. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to pay compensation to turf cutters who were forced to cease the cutting of turf on a special area of conservation due to their participation in the REP scheme programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55412/12]
View answerThe qualifying criteria for the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, administered by my Department, are that: The claimant must have a legal interest in one of the 53 raised bog special areas of conservation – ownership or turbary right; the claimant must have been the owner or entitled to exercise turbary rights on the land in question on 25 May 2010; the turbary on the site must not be exhausted; the claimant must have been cutting turf on the lands in question during the relevant five year period; and no turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.
My Department is considering the position of those who have applied for compensation but do not appear to fulfil the qualifying criteria of the scheme for a variety of reasons, and will be writing to all such applicants in relation to their position in due course.
