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Turbary Rights

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Questions (596)

Willie Penrose

Question:

596. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding a bog (details supplied) in County Westmeath which has been the subject of review under the new peatlands strategy plan and if persons will be enabled to continue turf cutting under the de-designation proposals as part of the said land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14220/14]

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Written answers

The recently published Review of Ireland’s Raised Bog Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs), which is available to download from my Department’s website, provides detail on future arrangements regarding turf cutting on each of the 75 raised bog NHAs, including the bog referred to by the Deputy. The Review has concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured NHA network. This will entail the phasing out of turf-cutting on certain NHAs by 2017, the designation of further NHAs and the partial or complete de-designation of certain NHAs.

The bog to which the Deputy refers is one of the NHAs that has been signaled for complete de-designation and this will be done in due course. As a result of the review, the existing arrangements for domestic turf cutters on this bog will continue pending de-designation. My Department has written to all property holders who could be identified on the bog to inform them of the results of the Review. In addition, notices outlining the outcome of the Review have also been placed in local papers.

It should also be noted, however, that separate legislative requirements also continue apply to large-scale turf-extraction, including, where relevant, requirements for planning permission and EPA licensing.

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