Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2015
1191. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 1142 of 4 November 2014, when she plans to bring forward the legislation referred to; whether she has plans to remove the natural heritage area designation from a townland (details supplied) in County Galway; if so, when that process will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21251/15]
View answerThe Review of Raised Bog Natural Heritage Area Network was published in January 2014 and concluded that Ireland could more effectively achieve conservation of threatened raised bog habitat through focused protection and restoration of a reconfigured network. This will entail the phasing out of turf-cutting on certain natural heritage areas by 1 January 2017 and the partial or complete de-designation of certain natural heritage areas. 46 natural heritage areas (including parts of 7 natural heritage areas) are scheduled for de-designation. One of these sites includes land referred to in the Deputy’s Question.
Regulatory change will be required to give full effect to the de-designation of the sites. The appropriate form of this change is being considered within my Department and I expect that the process will be completed by the end of the year.
