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Josepha Madigan T.D., Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, today (Wednesday 30 May) announced the establishment of a Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme which is intended to support communities in their efforts to promote and conserve Ireland’s raised bogs.

The Minister stated that

funding of up to €160,000 will be available in 2018 on a pilot basis to support a diverse range of initiatives from events, education programmes, promotions, exhibitions and local area improvements to invasive species control near or within raised bog Special Areas of Conservation, Natural Heritage Areas or other raised bog areas.

The Minister added that

I am hopeful that this scheme will encourage communities to become involved in the enhancement of their local raised bog areas and to raise awareness of our natural environment.

Details of the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme and the Application Form needed to apply are available at https://www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting/peatlands-community-engagement-scheme.

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Note to Editors:

The scheme will be administered by the Peatlands Management Unit within the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department.

Details of the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme and Application Form are available on request from the Peatlands Management Unit, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Newtown Road, Wexford, Y35 AP90 by Email: peatlandsmanagement@chg.gov.ie or Phone: 053 9117384 / 053 9117456

It is intended that the scheme will operate as an annual scheme, subject to the normal Exchequer budgetary processes.  Applications will be accepted for 2018 up until 4pm on 16 July 2018 and later in exceptional circumstances, subject to the availability of funding within the scheme. Projects approved in 2018 must be completed and a claim for reimbursement of funds made by 26 November 2018.