Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 11 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 5

Written Answers - Turbary Rights.

John Perry

Ceist:

32 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands her views on the concerns among traditional turf cutters in relation to turbary rights and turbary cutting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6523/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The EU habitats directive requires member states to protect their most important natural areas and to prevent anything that would damage the ecology of these areas. The directive identifies active bogland as a priority for such protection.

There are two categories of active bogland affected by the directive's obligations. The blanket bogs of upland areas comprise about 200,000 hectares of our proposed SAC network, while raised or lowland bog comprises about 8,000 hectares of our proposed SACs.

Although both types of bog must be protected, clearly the position is more pressing in the case of raised bogs, given their relative rarity.

In blanket bogs proposed for SAC status, my Department is working towards the general objective of phasing out turf cutting within five to ten years. However, these areas are being looked at in detail to identify areas where cutting could continue for longer periods without compromising the integrity of larger intact areas. The results of this exercise will be made public shortly for the Connemara area, and other upland areas will then be looked at over the coming months.

Raised bogs are clearly much rarer both in an Irish and a European context and, consequently, my Department has been seeking an immediate cessation of cutting in these areas. However, there are important issues to be addressed in the context of implementing this cessation, such as whether there are areas where cutting can continue without causing ecological damage, the level and kind of compensation to be paid to those affected and the arrangements for relocation to alternative bogs for those who wish to continue to cut turf. In addition, the SAC appeals advisory committee, which will consider appeals against the extent of SAC designation proposals and conditions proposed to conserve them, has not yet commenced its work and will not have time to resolve outstanding appeals before the 1998 turf cutting season starts. To allow time for agreement to be reached on relevant issues, for necessary logistical and adminstrative arrangements to be advanced and for objections to the extent of designation proposals to be resolved, I have decided to allow cutting to continue on proposed SAC raised bogs for the 1998 season.

I am satisfied that the benefits of an agreed approach will be very substantial and will greatly increase public support for conservation, without which it cannot ultimately succeed.