The Habitats Directive was signed in 1992, and 53 raised bogs - approximately 2% of the national peatlands from which turf can be extracted - were nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) between 1997 and 2002.
In January 2011, Ireland received a formal letter from the European Commission stating that due to a lack of action in enforcing the Habitats Directive the State faced legal proceedings in the European Court of Justice. Ireland faces daily fines of up to €25,000 if we fail to preserve these bogs which are protected under Irish and European law.
Compensation
A flexible package of compensation for turf cutters affected by the designations is in place. This package includes a number of options for turf cutters including financial compensation, or the provision of a relocation bog for cutting turf where that is possible with the option of the financial payment or the delivery of turf (15 tonnes per annum) while awaiting relocation.
Turf-cutters can apply for a payment of 1,500 euro – each year for 15 years – along with a sign up payment of €500 when legal agreements are signed. This brings the total available financial compensation package to €23,000, index linked and tax free.
Compensation payments and turf delivery costs made under the scheme total approximately €4 million. More than 2,700 payments of €1,500 each have been made to applicants under the scheme and approximately 2,500 tonnes of turf have also been delivered to turf cutters at a cost of €316,000.
Relocation
Intensive work is ongoing regarding the sourcing of relocation bogs for affected turf cutters.
Killeranny in Offaly is a relocation bog which is now being used by turf cutters who were previously cutting on Clara Bog. 23 turf cutters have been accommodated on Killeranny and are in the process of saving turf.
In addition to Killeranny in County Offaly, arrangements for the relocation of turf cutters to non-designated bogs have been made for a group of turf cutters from Carrownagappul Bog and Curraghlehanagh Bog in County Galway.
Of the remaining 50 raised bog special areas of conservation, potential relocation sites have been identified for a further 33 bogs and work is ongoing on identifying and investigating sites. Relocation is unlikely to be required, or is likely to be small-scale, for another 16 raised bog special areas of conservation due, for example, to the small number that had been cutting turf on these sites during the relevant five year period and would qualify for the relocation option available under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme.