Vol. 528 No. 3
209 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if Bord na Móna cutaway bogs are excluded from designations; the reason therefor; the amount of virgin bog Bord na Móna owns at present; if any of it is designated; if not, the reason therefor; and the further reason Coillte Teoranta forests on blanket bogs are not designated. [30260/00]
My Department has proposed over 250,000 ha of raised and blanket bog for SAC designation. In general this is relatively intact peatland with only marginal cutaway areas included. Bogs, which are entirely cutaway, do not meet the criteria for designation.
Bórd na Móna has sold or transferred bogs suitable for NHA-SAC or SPA designation to Dúchas. The bogs which it has retained are worked or degraded ecologically and do not meet the criteria for designation.
The afforestation of peatlands alters the ecology of the land afforested and consequently it no longer merits designation for conservation purposes. In mapping the boundaries of proposed NHAs and SACs, all substantial areas of existing conifer plantations were excluded, whether owned by Coillte or private landowners.
