Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2012
408. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will obtain compensation in respect of the cessation of turf cutting at Cloughbally/Killacunny Bog, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56919/12]
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 land in question during the relevant five year period; and no turf cutting or associated activity is ongoing on the property.
An application for compensation under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has been received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question. I understand that he does not appear to have a legal interest in the site through ownership or a turbary right and he had not been extracting turf from the site in the relevant five year period.
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.
