2026-07-07

The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was set up in 2011 to compensate domestic turf cutters who were forced to stop cutting turf on bogs designated as special areas of conservation and national heritage areas. In the time this scheme has been in operation, over 3,000 applicants have availed of the €1,500 index-linked payments for 15 years. The issue now is that many households are coming to the end of this 15-year period and there is no clarity as to what will happen once their payments end and whether there will be a successor scheme. I have been contacted by many constituents who have been impacted by restrictions on their right to cut turf and some have received their final payment under this scheme. Despite the ending of this compensation scheme these households will not be allowed to go back to cutting turf on their bogs. They voluntarily entered into this scheme but now the payments are coming to an end it seems the Government is choosing to abandon these households. This is only the beginning of it because, based on the parliamentary questions I have submitted, there are thousands of households that will see their payments end over the next number of years. This will mean that for the constituents who contacted me and for thousands of households, they will have neither turf to cut nor a compensation payment. It appears that the Minister and the Department are still reviewing their options on this but the problem is that, obviously, the Government has known for quite some time that this scheme was coming to an end. The Government knew there was an end date to these payments yet it seems the Minister is going to leave it to the last minute while household payments are already ending before deciding what the Government is going to do in this area. That leaves a huge deal of uncertainty for households who have relied on these compensation payments for the past 15 years. The Government has provided no detail or clarity as to when a decision will be made. Is the Department considering a successor compensation scheme for these turf cutters? What is the Government going to do to ensure these households are supported and can the Minister of State give a timeline for when any successor schemes will be announced?

I thank the Deputy. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister. Ireland is one of 196 signatories to the Convention of Biological Diversity, signed in 1992 and ratified in 1996. However, the treaty requires Ireland to establish a system of protected areas to conserve biodiversity. To implement this across member states, the habitats directive was adopted by the European Council of Ministers in 1992 and this was transposed into Irish law in 1997. Commencing in 1997, Ireland has protected 441 special areas of conservation, SACs, thereby recognising that Ireland is endowed with a rich network of peatlands. These include 53 raised bog SACs within the scope of the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme. The main threats to these sites are the actions that remove vegetation, drain water or cause them to dry out. For active raised bog, the average water level needs to be close to the surface for most of the year. As the Deputy said, turf cutting involves a combination of these activities and associated draining lowers the water levels. These change the bog structure and result in loss of drainage. For this reason, turf cutting cannot continue on these raised bog SACs. From the outset, the State recognised the significance of turf cutting for many families and communities and ensured a significant lead-in period for those affected. The Deputy spoke about the 15 years. Notification of these raised bog SACs were issued between 1997 and 2002. The voluntary bog purchase scheme was launched in 1999 and a ten-year derogation for turf cutting for domestic use only for these sites was also announced in 1999. A complete cessation of turf cutting was announced for all raised bog SACs in 2012 and 2011, accompanied by the launch of the cessation of the turf cutting compensation scheme. This means the affected households received an advanced notice of the restrictions but also the 15 years of financial support to assist with the transition. This scheme has provided an annual payment of €1,500 linked with inflation, together with a once-off legal agreement payment and if not, an alternative option was available. Over the lifetime of the scheme, the State will invest approximately €96 million in compensation to turf cutters affected by the restrictions on protected raised bogs. More than 3,500 active turf cutters have benefited from these supports. The Government continues to support those affected through a range of other initiatives, which include home energy efficiency grants through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, which can provide grants up to 100% for home retrofitting and fuel allowance payments through the Department for Social Protection for households at risk of fuel poverty. These sites continue to hold significant ecological value and they are vital for biodiversity, they mitigate climate flood impacts and they are part of our cultural and ecological heritage. In many cases habitat restoration measures are necessary to restore these bogs to a healthy ecological condition. The State has worked collaboratively with the turf cutters, contractors and their representatives under the scheme and this has resulted in a cessation of turf cutting of 85% of the raised bog SACs since 2011. These restrictions are necessary to address these issues raised by the European Commission in legal proceedings against Ireland in the European Court of Justice. I thank the Deputy for raising this. What he has raised here tonight, I will have to ask the Minister about. Unfortunately, at the last minute the Minister could not take this matter. I can see the Deputy's concern about the 15 years and what is going to happen going forward. I will revert this question to the Minister. I think it is important we do appreciate the work that is done.

I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate it is not her Department. However, it is deeply disappointing we do not have any clarity on what is going to happen in terms of supports for households, if anything, once these payments end. I have outlined the situation where families are no longer going to be receiving a compensation payment while not being allowed to cut turf in their bogs and we know we have a real crisis in terms of energy poverty and so on in this country at the moment. It is very concerning and many constituents have been in touch with me about this. They have not been able to get any clarity and I cannot provide any clarity to them either because of the lack of response coming from the Government. At least if clarity could be provided that a continuation of the scheme or an alternative was being considered, that would provide some reassurance to people. That is the bare minimum families should expect because they should continue to be compensated for not being allowed to cut turf in their bogs because that has a very significant impact on them. This situation demonstrates a broader failure of the Government to engage with turf cutting communities. One issue I have raised a number of times is the situation in Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs in south-east Galway. I raised it with one of the Minister of State's colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. Again, I would ask that he engages with the families impacted. In that case, there has been no effort to do that so far. In order to find a solution on that issue, the Minister of State might pass that feedback on to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, as well.

I would like to assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to support individuals who have ceased turf cutting on protected bogs. The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme has operated, as the Deputy said, for 15 years, and the majority of turf cutters on these sites have accepted compensation. Many others have consented to restoration works under the protected raised bog restoration incentive scheme or have agreed to sell plots to the State. I can say that a lot of work has been done on this but the cessation of the turf cutting compensation scheme is a landmark achievement in balancing environmental preservation with community support. Over its 15-year term, the scheme has successfully compensated over 3,500 active turf cutters, providing families with index-linked annual payments or relocation options to ensure energy security. This initiative has been instrumental in conserving 53 special areas of conservation and 36 natural heritage areas, addressing legal action against the State and protecting peatland sites of unique ecological value for future generations. Through this scheme, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has demonstrated that significant ecological restoration is possible through fair and sustainable community engagement. It is very important that we will continue to support local peatland communities through schemes such as the peatlands and nature engagement scheme and other initiatives that sustain biodiversity, and enable these sites to deliver a wide range of environmental and climate benefits. As I said, the Minister could not make it but I will definitely go back with the Deputy's concerns. There is a lot of good communication there working within the communities. I thank the turf cutters for all their great work as well.