Voluntary Bog Purchase Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018

Tuesday, 18 December 2018

Ceisteanna (679)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

679. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the payments under the voluntary bog purchase scheme for each quarter from 2010 to date in 2018; the number of payments in each quarter; the county covered by each of these payments in each of these quarters; the date on which the application was made by the applicant in respect of each payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53000/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

In 1999, a voluntary bog purchase scheme was introduced under which domestic turf cutters could sell their plots at agreed rates. These rates were subsequently increased in 2004, following agreement with the farming organisations under the Partnership talks. In May 2010, the then Government announced the closure of the voluntary bog purchase scheme to new applicants. At that time, the Government agreed that the applications on hand under the scheme would be completed, subject to contract.

Over €4.48 million has been paid since 2010 under the voluntary bog purchase scheme in respect of bog plots or turbary rights in designated peatland areas purchased by my Department.

The following table shows the number of payments made under the scheme in each year since 2010 by quarter, county and date of application. It also shows the total amount paid in each year under this scheme since 2010.

Quarter	Total Amount Paid	Number of Payments	Counties	Date of Application
2010 Q1	-	3	Clare	2005
			Galway	30/06/2006
			Longford	2005
2010 Q2	-	8	Clare	12/07/2005
			Galway	04/01/2005
			Galway	2005
			Galway	2005
			Kildare	2008
			Kildare	2008
			Meath	2005
			Tipperary	2005
2010 Q3	-	3	Clare	2007
			Galway	28/10/2004
			Offaly	2006
2010 Q4	-	5	Cavan	25/08/2006
			Galway	2005
			Galway	12/12/2005
			Kildare	2005
			Roscommon	09/08/2007
2010 TOTAL	€865,111	19
2011 Q1	-	1	Galway	2007
2011 Q2	-	5	Galway	05/08/2005
			Galway	02/11/2005
			Kildare	24/06/2008
			Meath	27/02/2009
			Roscommon	30/06/2005
2011 Q3	-	0	-	-
2011 Q4	-	0	-	-
2011 TOTAL	€405,766	6
2012 Q1	-	1	Mayo	2005
2012 Q2	-	0	-	-
2012 Q3	-	2	Roscommon	2005
			Westmeath	24/10/2005
2012 Q4	-	3	Galway	26/06/2007
			Kerry	2005
			Mayo	24/05/2006
2012 TOTAL	€422,701	6
2013 Q1	-	7	Clare	08/02/2005
			Galway	18/11/2005
			Galway	09/09/2005
			Galway	12/09/2006
			Mayo	14/07/2009
			Longford	2005
			Offaly	2005
2013 Q2	-	1	Galway	2005
2013 Q3	-	4	Galway	01/12/2005
			Kerry	2005
			Mayo	2009
			Offaly	2005
2013 Q4	-	8	Clare	10/05/2005
			Galway	22/11/2006
			Mayo	2005
			Offaly	2005
			Roscommon	20/01/2005
			Tipperary	2005
			Tipperary	2008
			Westmeath	2006
2013 TOTAL	€760,878	20
2014 Q1	-	3	Clare	2005
			Galway	2005
			Longford	2007
2014 Q2	-	0	-	-
2014 Q3	-	1	Galway	15/07/2008
2014 Q4	-	6	Galway	06/12/2005
			Galway	20/02/2008
			Galway	30/09/2008
			Mayo	06/11/2005
			Offaly	2005
			Tipperary	15/12/2005
2014 TOTAL	€326,827	10
2015 Q1	-	2	Mayo	01/05/2007
			Tipperary	07/04/2005
2015 Q2	-	5	Galway	2005
			Meath	14/09/2004
			Offaly	2006
			Offaly	2006
			Westmeath	03/03/2009
2015 Q3	-	3	Galway	15/12/2005
			Offaly	2006
			Offaly	2006
2015 Q4	-	3	Galway	2004
			Galway	24/10/2005
			Roscommon	16/06/2005
2015 TOTAL	€518,056	13
2016 Q1	-	6	Leitrim	18/02/2005
			Mayo	2005
			Meath	21/12/2005
			Meath	01/03/2008
			Roscommon	03/10/2006
			Westmeath	15/11/2009
2016 Q2	-	0	-	-
2016 Q3	-	0	-	-
2016 Q4	-	5	Galway	19/04/2005
			Galway	01/06/2005
			Offaly	13/01/2005
			Offaly	2005
			Roscommon	03/03/2005
2016 TOTAL	€367,535	11
2017 Q1	-	1	Tipperary	11/12/2006
2017 Q2	-	5	Galway	01/10/2004
			Galway	2005
			Leitrim	29/04/2005
			Roscommon	08/11/2005
			Tipperary	10/01/2005
2017 Q3	-	4	Galway	13/07/2005
			Mayo	26/08/2008
			Roscommon	20/12/2005
			Tipperary	21/08/2008
2017 Q4	-	1	Tipperary	15/07/2005
2017 TOTAL	€723,009	11
2018 Q1	-	2	Galway	01/02/2007
			Mayo	23/08/2008
2018 Q2	-	0	-	-
2018 Q3	-	0	-	-
2018 Q4	-	1	Offaly	04/11/2004
2018 TOTAL	€93,335	3