Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 June 2014
82. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total compensation paid to traditional to date to traditional turf cutters being discommoded or displaced arising from special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24954/14]
View answerMy Department has operated a number of compensation schemes applicable to those who have been cutting turf on raised bog special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas for domestic use. In 1999 a voluntary bog purchase scheme was established under which individuals with a legal interest in designated raised bog sites could apply to sell their interest in these areas to my Department at set rates. This scheme was revised and increased rates introduced in 2004. Since May 2010, this scheme is closed to new applicants.
Also in May 2010, the then Government announced the establishment of an interim compensation scheme applicable to the 31 raised bog special areas of conservation nominated for designation between 1997 and 1999. This scheme offered a compensation payment of €1,000 in respect of 2010 to those who ceased cutting turf in these designated sites.
In April 2011, the present Government put in place a compensation scheme for those affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation. This scheme provides for 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. An additional once-off payment of €500 for qualifying turf cutters is provided where legal agreements are signed with me, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Areas, which is available to download from my Department’s website at http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/Publications, envisages the cessation of turf cutting on 36 natural heritage areas by 1 January 2017 to preserve their conservation value. Any turf cutter required to cease turf cutting on a natural heritage area is being offered compensatory measures similar to those available to turf cutters from raised bog special areas of conservation. Such compensation will be available to qualifying applicants with effect from 2014.
Details of the total expenditure to date on these schemes are set out in the following table:
|
Compensation Scheme |
Total Expenditure |
|
Voluntary Bog Purchase Scheme |
€28,179,816 |
|
Interim Turf Compensation Scheme |
€171,000 |
|
Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme |
€8,360,987 |
