Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform has today (Friday 30 April 2021) launched a two month public consultation on the mid-term review of the National Peatlands Strategy.
The purpose of the mid-term review is to provide a broad assessment of where the Strategy currently is, what it can achieve over the next five years, and, where necessary, to propose changes to the actions set out in the Strategy to refocus it in line with its overall goals and the current context.
The National Peatlands Strategy mid-term review document for public consultation has been prepared following consultation with the Peatlands Strategy Implementation Group (comprised of representatives of the relevant Government Departments and State bodies) and the Peatlands Council (comprised of relevant stakeholder organisations). The mid-term review proposes that the actions set out in the National Peatlands Strategy be updated into a new Implementation Plan (included in the mid-term review document), which focuses on refining outstanding actions and prioritising measurable, achievable objectives.
The Minister said: “I believe that the Implementation Plan will improve the effectiveness of the Strategy and support the achievement of its goals by setting out prioritised actions to be undertaken over the next five years. The Implementation Plan is intended as a pragmatic and practical approach to focus on what is achievable over that timeframe, outlining what should be prioritised, and what can be measured and reported on effectively in line with timelines for the commencement/completion of actions.”
The mid-term review document for public consultation is available at https://www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting/peatlands-council/national-peatlands-strategy. Hard copies of the document are available on request by emailing NPSreview@housing.gov.ie or by writing to National Peatlands Strategy Mid-Term Review, Peatland Issues and Land Designation Section, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, 90 King Street North, Smithfield, Dublin 7 D07 N7 CV. The notification of the public consultation is advertised in the Irish Times, Seachtain, the Irish Farmers Journal and various regional and local newspapers. The document is available in both the Irish and English languages.
Submissions on the mid-term review of the National Peatlands Strategy will be accepted via email or standard post only to the following addresses:
Email: NPSreview@housing.gov.ie
Post: National Peatlands Strategy Mid-Term Review,
Peatland Issues and Land Designation Section,
National Parks and Wildlife Service,
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage,
90 King Street North,
Smithfield,
Dublin 7 D07 N7 CV.
Closing date for receipt of submissions is 5.30 pmon Wednesday 30 June 2021.
All submissions received will be published online, subject to Freedom of Information, Access to Information on the Environment, and data protection legislation.
Ends
Note to Editors:
The National Peatlands Strategy is comprised of 25 Principles and 32 Actions to be implemented by a range of Government Departments, State agencies and semi-state bodies.
The Peatlands Strategy Implementation Group has a co-ordinating and reporting to Government role on the implementation of the National Peatlands Strategy. It shares an independent chair with the Peatlands Council and has prepared (i) a 2017 Progress Report and (ii) a 2018 and 2019 progress report on the implementation of the National Peatlands Strategy.
The National Peatlands Strategy and the published progress reports are available at https://www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting/peatlands-council/national-peatlands-strategy
In addition to the progress reporting mechanism, the National Peatlands Strategy includes a provision for a mid-term review.