Special Areas of Conservation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2010

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Ceisteanna (247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253)

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

279 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the location, name and extent of each of the 32 raised bogs sites nominated for designation in 1999 as special areas of conservation, on which turf cutting for personal domestic use was allowed until 2009; his plan and programme for their conservation and protection in respect of these raised bog sites; the nature of the protection works envisaged in the case of each such plan; the timescale for implementation; the estimated cost in each such case; the allocation of money to be spent in 2010 on each such plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11997/10]

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

280 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide a copy of his plan for the protection of 32 raised bog sites nominated for special areas of conservation in 1999; if such programme of plans is available to the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11998/10]

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

281 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the date on which he had an approved derogation provided by the EU for 32 raised bog sites nominated for designation as special areas of conservation in 1999; if he will include in this reply, the formal wording of the derogation as approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11999/10]

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

282 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the name, location and extent of 23 raised bog special areas of conservation which were nominated for designation in 2002; the date and wording of the formal derogation by him in respect of these 23 raised bogs, on which turf cutting for personal domestic use can continue until 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12000/10]

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

283 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide a copy of the individual plans that he has prepared for the protection and conservation of 23 raised bog special areas of conservation designated in 2002; the estimated timescale and cost involved in each such plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12001/10]

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

284 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the name, location and extent of 75 natural heritage areas designated in 2004; his plans prepared for their protection and conservation; if he can provide copies of each individual plan; the wording and the date of approval of a Government derogation in each of these 75 areas; if he will confirm that turf cutting for domestic purposes can continue in these 75 areas until 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12002/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy John Gormley)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 284, inclusive, together.

Ireland is required to protect habitats of European importance under the Habitats Directive 1992, which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000. In accordance with the Directive, Ireland has nominated certain raised bog sites, which contain priority natural habitats under the Directive, as candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs). In addition, Ireland has also designated other raised bogs as natural heritage areas (NHAs) under the 2000 Wildlife Act.

By 1999, 32 raised bog site had been designated as Special Areas of Conservation. Commercial cutting was stopped and a 10-year grace period was granted to those cutting turf for their own domestic use. This was intended to allow those involved sufficient time to find an alternative source of fuel. A similar 10-year period applies to bogs designated after 1999. Approval was not sought from the EU in relation to this matter. Arising from the ten-year grace period, cutting for domestic purposes may continue on the remaining 23 raised bog SACs until the end of 2011 and the 75 NHA raised bog sites until the end of 2013. I am providing a list, with counties of location and extent of raised bog habitat within each site, of the 32 raised bog sites nominated for designation as SACs by 1999 and the 23 nominated in 2002. I am also providing information on the 75 which were classified as NHAs in 2004.

Management plans for these sites will comprise measures to maintain them in, or restore them to, favourable conservation status as required by the Habitats Directive. This will involve a complete cessation of all turf-cutting on the sites and restorative work including in relation to artificial drainage channels which were dug to facilitate turf extraction. Detailed management plans have yet to be drawn up for most sites, and these will be established after detailed surveys. My Department has allocated some €5.4 million for measures to compensate turbary owners in 2010. This is intended to cater for existing arrangements, including the need to make provision for any commercial turf cutters who have established rights to compensation for mandatory cessation of their activities.

The work of the Inter-Departmental Working Group on the Cessation of Turf Cutting in Designated Raised Bogs is nearing completion and I expect to receive its report very shortly. I will conclude my consideration of the report and any recommendations it contains, including in relation to cost and timeframe for implementation, as rapidly as possible, and will then be in touch with affected individuals and representative groups in regard to the position.

SAC 1999 — Raised Bog

No#	Year	Site Code	Site Name	County	Hectares of SAC	% of Raised Bog Habitat	Hectares of Raised Bog Habitat
						%
1	1997	000006	Killyconny Bog (Cloghbally)	Cavan/Meath	191.22	46	87.96
2	1997	000231	Barroughter Bog	Galway	174.02	53	92.23
3	1997	000248	Cloonmoylan Bog	Galway	554.42	71	393.64
4	1997	000285	Kilsallagh Bog	Galway	279.73	68	190.22
5	1997	000296	Lisnageeragh Bog and Ballinstack Turlough	Galway	455.49	62	282.40
6	1997	000301	Lough Lurgeen Bog/ Glenamaddy Turlough	Galway	1,162.11	51	592.68
7	1997	000326	Shankill West Bog	Galway	136.39	52	70.92
8	1997	000382	Sheheree (Ardagh) Bog	Kerry	17.07	38	6.49
9	1997	000391	Ballynafagh Bog	Kildare	156.46	43	67.28
10	1997	000440	Lough Ree	Ros/LD/WM	14,371.24	3	431.14
11	1997	000457	Derrynabrock Bog	Mayo/Roscommon Subsumed into SAC 2298
12	1997	000497	Flughany Bog	Mayo/Sligo	231.09	47	108.61
13	1997	000547	Tawnaghbeg Bog	Mayo Subsumed into SAC 2298
14	1997	000566	All Saints Bog and Esker	Offaly	369.68	52	192.23
15	1997	000572	Clara Bog	Offaly	836.54	44	368.08
16	1997	000575	Ferbane Bog	Offaly	153.08	76	116.34
17	1997	000580	Mongan Bog	Offaly	207.83	61	126.78
18	1997	000581	Moyclare Bog	Offaly	129.86	62	80.51

SAC 1999 — Raised Bog continued

No#	Year	Site Code	Site Name	County	Hectares of SAC	of Raised Bog Habitat	Hectares of Raised Bog Habitat
						%
19	1997	000582	Raheenmore Bog	Offaly	210.01	65	136.51
20	1997	000585	Sharavogue Bog	Offaly	223.43	61	136.29
21	1997	000592	Bellanagare Bog	Roscommon	1,207.59	61	736.63
22	1997	000597	Carrowbehy/Caher Bog	Roscommon	343.83	54	185.67
23	1997	000600	Cloonchambers Bog	Roscommon	348.20	45	156.69
24	1997	000604	Derrinea Bog	Roscommon	86.18	70	60.33
25	1997	000614	Cloonshanville Bog	Roscommon	225.76	84	189.64
26	1997	000641	Ballyduff/Clonfinane Bog	Tipperary	269.56	69	186.00
27	1997	000647	Kilcarren-Firville Bog	Tipperary	676.67	55	372.17
28	1997	000679	Garriskil Bog	Westmeath	324.81	52	168.90
29	1997	001242	Carrownagappul Bog	Galway	487.53	65	316.89
30	1997	001818	Lough Forbes Complex	Longford/Ros	1,337.08	21	280.79
31	1997	002110	Corliskea/Trien/Cloonfelliv Bog	Galway/Ros	725.21	61	442.38
32	1999	000297	Lough Corrib	Galway/Mayo	25,253.37	2	505.07
			1999 Raised Bog SAC	Sub-total	51,145.46	13.85	7,081.45

SAC 2002 — Raised Bog

No#	Year	Site Code	Site Name	County	Hectares of SAC	of Raised Bog Habitat	Ha of Raised Bog Habitat
33	2002	000595	Callow Bog	Roscommon	617.91	26	160.66
34	2002	002298	River Moy	Mayo/Ros/Sligo	15,415.62	4	616.62
35	2002	002331	Mouds Bog	Kildare	591.20	49	289.69
36	2002	002332	Coolrain Bog	Laois	145.95	42	61.30
37	2002	002333	Knockacoller Bog	Laois	130.39	39	50.85
38	2002	002336	Carn Park Bog	Westmeath	247.89	63	156.17
39	2002	002337	Crosswood Bog	Westmeath	206.61	51	105.37
40	2002	002338	Drumalough Bog	Roscommon	278.89	52	145.02
41	2002	002339	Ballynamona Bog and Corkip Lough	Roscommon	244.77	18	44.06
42	2002	002340	Moneybeg and Clareisland Bogs	Meath/Westmeath	364.32	39	142.08
43	2002	002341	Ardagullion Bog	Longford	117.33	48	56.32
44	2002	002342	Mount Hevey Bog	Meath/Westmeath	483.78	41	198.35
45	2002	002343	Tullaher Lough and Bog	Clare	469.18	4	18.77
46	2002	002346	Brown Bog	Longford	76.68	66	50.61
47	2002	002347	Camderry Bog	Galway	280.72	70	196.50
48	2002	002348	Clooneen Bog	Longford	215.03	39	83.86
49	2002	002349	Corbo Bog	Roscommon	206.76	58	119.92
50	2002	002350	Curraghlehanagh Bog	Galway	278.22	55	153.02
51	2002	002351	Moanveanlagh Bog	Kerry	214.72	61	130.98
52	2002	002352	Monivea Bog	Galway	286.68	51	146.21
53	2002	002353	Redwood Bog	Tipperary	555.03	32	177.61
54	2002	002354	Tullaghanrock Bog	Roscommon	103.92	65	67.55
55	2002	002356	Ardgraigue Bog	Galway	183.54	43	78.92
			2002 Raised Bog SAC	Sub-totals	21,715.14	14.97	3,250.45
			Total SAC Raised Bog Area	72,860.60	14.18	10,331.89

Code	Site Name	County	Area (HA)
000220	Lough Namucka Bog NHA	Galway	276.46
000221	Moorfield Bog/Farm Cottage NHA	Galway	139.12
000222	Suck River Callows NHA	Galway/Ros	3,396.91
000229	Ballygar Bog NHA	Galway	165.58
000235	Bracklagh Bog NHA	Galway	104.93
000245	Clooncullaun Bog NHA	Galway	202.61
000247	Slieve Bog NHA	Galway	268.39
000249	Cloonoolish Bog NHA	Galway	119.76
000254	Crit Island West NHA	Galway	733.77
000267	Funshin Bog NHA	Galway	182.76
000280	Castle Ffrench West Bog NHA	Galway	159.00
000281	Keeloges Bog NHA	Galway	324.53
000283	Kilmore Bog NHA	Galway	160.49
000284	Kilnaborris Bog NHA	Galway	167.86
000292	Leaha Bog NHA	Galway	102.19
000307	Lough Tee Bog NHA	Galway	448.75
000310	Meneen Bog NHA	Galway	217.41
000321	Raford River Bog NHA	Galway	245.83
000333	Anna More Bog NHA	Kerry	128.99
000337	Doon Lough NHA	Clare	581.80
000422	Aghnamona Bog NHA	Leitrim/Longford	410.63
000564	River Little Brosna Callows NHA	Offaly/Tipp	1,322.87
000565	Clonydonnin Bog NHA	Offaly/Wmeath	138.07
000570	Black Castle Bog NHA	Offaly	167.69
000591	Bella Bridge Bog NHA	Roscommon	198.63
000603	Cornaveagh Bog NHA	Roscommon	123.97
000605	Derrycanan Bog NHA	Roscommon	349.87
000640	Arragh More Bog NHA	Tipperary	419.51
000642	Ballymacegan Bog NHA	Tipperary	107.48
000648	Killeen Bog NHA	Tipperary	217.27
000652	Monaincha Bog/Ballaghmore Bog NHA	Laois/Tipperary	293.50
000674	Ballynagrenia and Ballinderry Bog NHA	Westmeath	292.74
000677	Cloncrow Bog (New Forest) NHA	Westmeath	234.32
000684	Lough Derravaragh NHA	Westmeath	1,413.45
000691	Rinn River NHA	Leitirm	455.93
000694	Wooddown Bog NHA	Leitrim/Longford	196.99
000890	Cangort Bog NHA	Offaly/Tipp	127.14
000921	Screggan Bog NHA	Offaly	179.64
000937	Scohaboy Bog NHA	Tipperary	392.96
000985	Lough Kinale and Derragh Lough NHA	Cavan	414.30
000993	Ayle Lower Bog NHA	Clare	85.67
001020	Loughanilloon Bog NHA	Clare	95.69
001227	Aughrim Bog NHA	Galway	263.57
001240	Capira/Derrew Bog NHA	Galway	118.64
001244	Castle Ffrench East Bog NHA	Galway	204.28
001254	Derrinlough Bog NHA	Galway	246.89
001255	Derrynagran Bog and Esker NHA	Galway	110.11
001264	Eskerboy Bog NHA	Galway	132.01
001280	Killaclogher Bog NHA	Galway	492.20
001283	Killure Bog NHA	Galway	478.46
001303	Moorfield Bog NHA	Galway	208.50
001324	Jamestown Bog NHA	Meath	201.23
001352	Bunnaruddee Bog NHA	Kerry	151.87
001388	Carbury Bog NHA	Kildare	131.23
001393	Hodgestown Bog NHA	Kildare	128.98
001405	Cashel Bog (Leitrim) NHA	Leitirm	128.59
001420	Corracramph Bog NHA	Leitrim	222.68
001423	Cloonageeher Bog NHA	Leitrim	284.72
001448	Forthill Bog NHA	Longford	121.97
001450	Mount Jessop Bog NHA	Longford	147.53
001580	Girley Bog NHA	Meath	146.38
001582	Molerick Bog NHA	Meath	88.57
001623	Carrickynaghtan Bog NHA	Roscommon	599.97
001652	Tullaghan Bog (Roscommon) NHA	Roscommon	99.46
001684	Lorrha Bog NHA	Tipperary	82.23
001725	Nure Bog NHA	Westmeath	225.36
001812	Lough Garr NHA	Westmeath	218.99
001853	Nore Valley Bogs NHA	Tipperary	272.38
002033	Daingean Bog NHA	Offaly	179.59
002072	Lisnanarriagh Bog NHA	Roscommon	109.01
002307	Cloonloum More Bog NHA	Clare	167.52
002323	Milltownpass Bog NHA	Westmeath	118.39
002344	Annaghbeg Bog NHA	Galway	273.12
002355	Hawkswood Bog NHA	Offaly	136.74
002357	Clonreher Bog NHA	Laois	186.00
	Total Area		22,443

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

285 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the nature and conditions of the bog purchase scheme available to tenants in areas of raised bog on which it is proposed not to allow further turf cutting for domestic purposes; the overall capital available to him for this scheme in 2010; the numbers of tenants approached in the case of the 32 raised bog sites which were designated as special areas of conservation in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12003/10]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy John Gormley)

Approximately €5.4 million has been made available in 2010 for the Bog Purchase Scheme for domestic cutters and for the compensation of commercial turf cutters. Having regard to available resources, priority in the domestic scheme is being given to those wishing to sell their interest in the 32 raised bog sites which were nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation in 1999. To date, over 220 applications have been received from owners of lands/rights within the 32 Raised Bog SACs. The Bog Purchase Scheme is a voluntary scheme advertised by my Department. It is up to interested parties to apply to sell qualifying land under this scheme. I have arranged for details of the voluntary bog purchase scheme to be forwarded to the Deputy for his information.