Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 September 2019
703. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which she plans to implement the recommendation regarding assigning overall responsibility for peatland conservation and restoration programmes in chapter 8, page 75 of the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37715/19]
View answerThe National Peatlands Strategy 2015 sets out a cross-governmental approach to managing issues that relate to peatlands, including compliance with EU environmental law, climate change, forestry, flood control, energy, nature conservation, planning, and agriculture. It contains a comprehensive set of actions for implementation by various bodies.
The Peatland Strategy Implementation Group is a cross Departmental group which shares an independent chair with the Peatlands Council. The key purpose of the group is to drive the implementation of the vision, values and principles set out in the strategy. The group has made its first progress report to the Government on the implementation of the National Peatlands Strategy. This report has been published and is available on the website of my Department (www.chg.gov.ie).
The Peatlands Council was established for the purpose of ensuring the input from all stakeholders in relation to the protection of Ireland's protected raised bogs.
The Government's Climate Action Plan 2019 (To Tackle Climate Breakdown) contains a series of actions in relation to the better management of peatlands and soils. The Plan is being overseen by a Climate Action Delivery Board within the Department of the Taoiseach, on which my Department is represented.
