Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2013
150. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps taken to date to progress the north midlands wetland park project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14584/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, at the request of North Midlands Peatlands Park Committee (NMPPC), I facilitated a meeting with elected representatives and members of the NMPPC on 9 October 2012. At that meeting, I explained that in principle my Department would welcome any initiative to rehabilitate cutaway bog in a way that enhances its biodiversity and its attractiveness to visitors. I also explained that, as Bord na Móna has stewardship of the bogs in question, their management, present use for commercial peat production and future rehabilitation are, in the first instance, matters for that organisation.
Given that my Department is broadly supportive of initiatives of this nature, and in order to be assistance in relation to the proposed project, I wrote to Bord na Móna following the meeting with the NMPPC. My Department remains willing to engage with Bord na Móna in relation to the matter if it is considered that such engagement would be helpful.
