Special Areas of Conservation

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Ceisteanna (194, 195)

Sandra McLellan

Ceist:

211 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the phased basis for more than 130 raised bogs conservation sites; when the phases will be imposed; and the names and locations of same. [16508/11]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

Under the EU Habitats Directive, Ireland is obliged to protect various natural habitats which are of international importance, including through designating areas as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Once designated, Ireland is obliged to monitor, protect and where necessary, restore those habitats which are under threat. In addition, Ireland, under national law, has also designated Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) for protection under the Wildlife Acts. A total of 130 sites have been designated as SACs and NHAs for the conservation of raised bog habitat.

The effective cessation of turf-cutting on 31 SAC sites was confirmed by a decision of the previous Government in May 2010 and had immediate effect. This year was also the last season of turf-cutting on the remaining 24 raised bog SACs. On the 5th April this year the Government made a number of decisions in relation to turf cutting in Ireland, including the putting in place of a compensation package for those who are required to cease cutting, the establishment of a Peatlands Council and the drawing up of a national strategy on peatlands conservation and management. In the context of the national strategy, the position regarding raised bog NHAs, which are protected under national legislation, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive will be examined in advance of the 2014 cutting season.

The following tables set out the names of the bogs affected by these decisions.

TABLE 1: Bogs affected from 2010 (SAC Sites)

No.	Site Code	Site Name	County
1	000006	Killyconny Bog (Cloghbally)	Cavan and Meath
2	000231	Barroughter Bog	Galway
3	000248	Cloonmoylan Bog	Galway
4	000285	Kilsallagh Bog	Galway
5	000296	Lisnageeragh Bog and Ballinstack Turlough	Galway
6	000297	Lough Corrib	Galway and Mayo
7	000301	Lough Lurgeen Bog/Glenamaddy Turlough	Galway
8	000326	Shankill West Bog	Galway
9	000382	Sheheree (Ardagh) Bog	Kerry
10	000391	Ballynafagh Bog	Kildare
11	000497	Flughany Bog	Mayo and Sligo
12	000566	All Saints Bog and Esker	Offaly
13	000572	Clara Bog	Offaly
14	000575	Ferbane Bog	Offaly
15	000580	Mongan Bog	Offaly
16	000581	Moyclare Bog	Offaly
17	000582	Raheenmore Bog	Offaly
18	000585	Sharavogue Bog	Offaly
19	000592	Bellanagare Bog	Roscommon
20	000597	Carrowbehy/Caher Bog	Roscommon
21	000600	Cloonchambers Bog	Roscommon
22	000604	Derrinea Bog	Roscommon
23	000614	Cloonshanville Bog	Roscommon
24	000641	Ballyduff/Clonfinane Bog	Tipperary
25	000647	Kilcarren-Firville Bog	Tipperary
26	000679	Garriskil Bog	Westmeath
27	001242	Carrownagappul Bog	Galway
28	001818	Lough Forbes Complex	Longford and Roscommon
29	002110	Corliskea/Trien/Cloonfelliv Bog	Galway and Roscommon
30	000457	Derrynabrock Bog*	Mayo and Roscommon
31	002298	River Moy (Tawnaghbeg Bog)	Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo

*This site has now been subsumed into the River Moy SAC (002298)

TABLE 2: Bogs affected from end-2011 (SAC Sites)

No.	Site Code	Site Name	County
1	000595	Callow Bog	Roscommon
2	002298	River Moy	Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo
3	002331	Mouds Bog	Kildare
4	002332	Coolrain Bog	Laois
5	002333	Knockacoller Bog	Laois
6	002336	Carn Park Bog	Westmeath
7	002337	Crosswood Bog	Westmeath
8	002338	Drumalough Bog	Roscommon
9	002339	Ballynamona Bog and Corkip Lough	Roscommon
10	002340	Moneybeg and Clareisland Bogs	Meath and Westmeath
11	002341	Ardagullion Bog	Longford
12	002342	Mount Hevey Bog	Meath and Westmeath
13	002343	Tullaher Lough and Bog	Clare
14	002346	Brown Bog	Longford
15	002347	Camderry Bog	Galway
16	002348	Clooneen Bog	Longford
17	002349	Corbo Bog	Roscommon
18	002350	Curraghlehanagh Bog	Galway
19	002351	Moanveanlagh Bog	Kerry
20	002352	Monivea Bog	Galway
21	002353	Redwood Bog	Tipperary
22	002354	Tullaghanrock Bog	Roscommon
23	002356	Ardgraigue Bog	Galway
24	000440	Lough Ree	Ros/LD/WM

TABLE 3: NHA Raised Bog sites — to be examined before 2014

No.	Site Code	Site Name	County
1	000220	Lough Namucka Bog NHA	Galway and Roscommon
2	000221	Moorfield Bog/Farm Cottage NHA	Galway and Roscommon
3	000222	Suck River Callows NHA	Galway and Roscommon
4	000229	Ballygar Bog NHA	Galway
5	000235	Bracklagh Bog NHA	Galway
6	000245	Clooncullaun Bog NHA	Galway
7	000247	Slieve Bog NHA	Galway
8	000249	Cloonoolish Bog NHA	Galway
9	000254	Crit Island West NHA	Galway
10	000267	Funshin Bog NHA	Galway
11	000280	Castle Ffrench West Bog NHA	Galway
12	000281	Keeloges Bog NHA	Galway
13	000283	Kilmore Bog NHA	Galway
14	000284	Kilnaborris Bog NHA	Galway
15	000292	Leaha Bog NHA	Galway
16	000307	Lough Tee Bog NHA	Galway
17	000310	Meneen Bog NHA	Galway
18	000321	Raford River Bog NHA	Galway
19	000333	Anna More Bog NHA	Kerry
20	000337	Doon Lough NHA	Clare
21	000422	Aghnamona Bog NHA	Leitrim and Longford
22	000564	River Little Brosna Callows NHA	Offaly and Tipperary
23	000565	Clonydonnin Bog NHA	Offaly and Westmeath
24	000570	Black Castle Bog NHA	Offaly
25	000591	Bella Bridge Bog NHA	Roscommon
26	000603	Cornaveagh Bog NHA	Roscommon
27	000605	Derrycanan Bog NHA	Roscommon
28	000640	Arragh More Bog NHA	Tipperary
29	000642	Ballymacegan Bog NHA	Tipperary
30	000648	Killeen Bog NHA	Tipperary
31	000652	Monaincha Bog/Ballaghmore Bog NHA	Laois
32	000674	Ballynagrenia and Ballinderry Bog NHA	Westmeath
33	000677	Cloncrow Bog (New Forest) NHA	Westmeath
34	000684	Lough Derravaragh NHA	Westmeath
35	000691	Rinn River NHA	Leitrim and Longford
36	000694	Wooddown Bog NHA	Westmeath
37	000890	Cangort Bog NHA	Offaly and Tipperary
38	000921	Screggan Bog NHA	Offaly
39	000937	Scohaboy Bog NHA	Tipperary
40	000985	Lough Kinale and Derragh Lough NHA	Cavan, Longford and Westmeath
41	000993	Ayle Lower Bog NHA	Clare
42	001020	Loughanilloon Bog NHA	Clare
43	001227	Aughrim Bog NHA	Galway
44	001240	Capira/Derrew Bog NHA	Galway
45	001244	Castle Ffrench East Bog NHA	Galway
46	001254	Derrinlough Bog NHA	Galway
47	001255	Derrynagran Bog and Esker NHA	Galway
48	001264	Eskerboy Bog NHA	Galway
49	001280	Killaclogher Bog NHA	Galway
50	001283	Killure Bog NHA	Galway
51	001303	Moorfield Bog NHA	Galway
52	001324	Jamestown Bog NHA	Meath
53	001352	Bunnaruddee Bog NHA	Kerry
54	001388	Carbury Bog NHA	Kildare
55	001393	Hodgestown Bog NHA	Kildare
56	001405	Cashel Bog (Leitrim) NHA	Leitrim
57	001420	Corracramph Bog NHA	Leitrim
58	001423	Cloonageeher Bog NHA	Leitrim and Longford
59	001448	Forthill Bog NHA	Longford
60	001450	Mount Jessop Bog NHA	Longford
61	001580	Girley Bog NHA	Meath
62	001582	Molerick Bog NHA	Meath
63	001623	Carrickynaghtan Bog NHA	Roscommon
64	001652	Tullaghan Bog (Roscommon) NHA	Roscommon
65	001684	Lorrha Bog NHA	Tipperary
66	001725	Nure Bog NHA	Westmeath
67	001812	Lough Garr NHA	Westmeath
68	001853	Nore Valley Bogs NHA	Tipperary
69	002033	Daingean Bog NHA	Offaly
70	002072	Lisnanarriagh Bog NHA	Roscommon
71	002307	Cloonloum More Bog NHA	Clare
72	002323	Milltownpass Bog NHA	Westmeath
73	002344	Annaghbeg Bog NHA	Galway
74	002355	Hawkswood Bog NHA	Offaly
75	002357	Clonreher Bog NHA	Laois

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

212 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 95 of 2 June 2011, if alternative areas can be offered for conservation which would not impact to the same extent on traditional turf cutters; if his attention has been drawn to other countries that have sought derogation from EU directives when national tradition came into conflict with EU policy; if he will pursue such options; if he will arrange for a comprehensive review of all aspects of the way certain conservation measures conflict with tradition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16511/11]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

Raised bogs in Ireland contain rare and threatened natural habitats that are protected under National and European law. A small number of raised bogs are on sites that are designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or National Heritage Areas (NHAs). Raised bogs have almost vanished due to land reclamation, drainage and turf extraction and these designated sites are among the best examples of the small proportion of such habitats left in Europe.

There are over 1,500 raised bogs in Ireland and 139 of these have been designated for nature protection within 130 sites. In area, they comprise less than 5% of the peatlands in the State where turf-cutting is feasible. My Department estimates that there are up to 2,600 active turf cutters on these bogs.

Almost all raised bogs outside these sites would not now meet the criteria for designation or restoration due to drainage, exploitation and land-use change. However, many of these bogs are suitable for turf-extraction and relocation of turf-cutters to such areas is likely to be feasible in many cases. As such, the measures announced recently announced are not incompatible with the continuation of traditional activities, but will necessitate a relocation of such activities to non-designated bogs.

Traditional activities in Ireland and across the EU, encompassing a range of activities such as agriculture, fishing, hunting, forestry, land use and industry, have all had to adapt to the requirements of EU Directives, including those aimed at environmental protection. Turf-cutting is no different in this regard.

My attention has not been drawn to other countries that have sought derogation from EU Directives when national tradition came into conflict with EU policy. Once adopted, Directives are binding on all Member States in accordance with the provisions of the individual Directives.