Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
455. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received compensation in view of the fact that he ceased cutting turf for the past number of years in the Monivea bog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29831/14]
View answerAn 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.
The qualifying criteria for the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme 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.
The applicant indicated on his application form that he had cut turf on the designated site in question in 2012 and was therefore not eligible for compensation in respect of that year. In addition, no evidence of a legal interest in the site was supplied with the application. This has subsequently been supplied to my Department.
Following a reassessment of the application, I am advised that a payment of €1,518 in respect of Year 2 of 15 (2013) and a payment of €1,521 in respect of Year 3 of 15 (2014) have recently been approved for this applicant and will be made to him shortly.
