Fine Gael statements on turf cutting ban ‘completely disingenuous’ -Finneran

Minister for Housing and Local Services Michael Finneran TD has moved to clarify points being raised regarding the turf cutting ban which has now come into effect on a limited number of special bogs.

Following the announcement last week that the derogation allowing turf cutting on a limited number of raised bog Special Areas of Conservation has now ended, there has been a lot of misinformation on the issue, Minister Finneran said.

“Turf cutting on 32 ‘raised bogs’ that are classified as Special Areas of Conservation is now banned.

“Nine bogs are affected by this in County Roscommon this year.”

“While I understand that this is causing concern for some people, I want to clarify a number of points being made publicly about the ban.

“The European Habitats Directive which necessitated this ban was signed into law in early 1997 by the then Labour Party Minister Michael D Higgins, who was part of the Fine Gael-led Coalition Government at that time.

“So for the leader of the Labour Party Eamon Gilmore to be calling on the Minister for Environment John Gormley TD to reverse ‘his’ decision to ban turf cutting is completely hypocritical. The Irish Peatland Conservation Council has moved to correct Deputy Gilmore on a number of misinformed comments he has made on the issue, in fact.

“Statements being made now by Fine Gael are also very disingenuous as they were in Government when this Habitat was signed into law.

“A derogation, or a grace period, was introduced by the new Fianna Fáil Government in 1999 to allow people affected by the ban to source alternative methods of fuel. That derogation has now come to an end.

“This Habitat Directive is necessary to protect the small number of bogs that are classified as Natural Heritage Areas, because continuing to cut them will have very negative consequences.

“Bogs are important in flood prevention, water quality and carbon reduction. These factors must be considered and the long term consequences of destroying this natural habitat must be respected.

“We witnessed the effects of flooding around the country last year. We have to do what we can to prevent these kinds of events becoming more commonplace and that means taking the necessary precautions.

“Some 32 bogs are affected by the ban which comes into effect from last week, and a further 24 SACs will be affected by the end of next year and 72 by the end of 2013.

In total this will represent just over 4 per cent of all peat lands in the country which can be used for turf cutting.

“Commercial turf cutting has been restricted on these sites for many years. In the case of the 32 bogs for this year, commercial turf cutting has been restricted since 1999.”

“The State has already acquired a third of the 32 bogs affected by the ban this year. Bog owners availed of the Voluntary Bog Purchase Scheme operated by the Government.”

“In announcing the end of the derogation, Minister Gormley said that the Government will also provide interim funding next winter to address the immediate needs of those who have been relying on these bogs for their fuel needs.”

“Minister Gormley will be writing to be the people affected by the implementation of the ban on the 32 bogs to advise them about the compensation scheme and work has already begun on identifying alternative sites and turbary rights for the affected people where possible.”

“The Government will do everything possible to meet the needs of the people affected by this ban, but there is no way it could be avoided, and any claims to the contrary are untrue. Ireland receives significant funding from the EU in agri environmental funds and we have a duty to meet requirements laid down in the Habitat Directive as they are in the best long-term interests of our environment,” concluded Minister Michael Finneran TD.