Restrictions’ on turf cutting in bogs are ‘unacceptable’

THE decision to bring down the curtain in 2008 on the rural tradition of cutting turf in local bogs is being challenged by a farming leader in north Munster.
Former Limerick IFA Chairman Michael O’Flynn has challenged the SAC (Special Areas of Conservation) designation of bogs countrywide from 2008 as premature and contravening an existing agreement.
The west Limerick farmer told a Limerick IFA meeting the restrictions being imposed next year “are unacceptable”. He said: “In IFA, we have a deal that any further restrictions on the use of bogs will not be applied until 2012.
This was agreed with Minister Martin Cullen and it must be honoured”. He said SAC designation restrictions proposed for 2008 would mean that local farmers and others who cut turf in bogs in their area for many generations will no longer be permitted to do.
He said that the IFA had come across situations where farmers owning large areas of bog were willing to allow most of the area to be taken over, but they would not be allowed to keep a small area to cut turf for their own use.
* Environment, Heritage and Local Government Minister John Gormley has confirmed in the Dáil that he does not propose to extend beyond 2008 a turf cutting derogation for Special Areas of Conservation, and beyond 2014 for Natural Heritage Areas, because of the importance of Ireland’s bogs in European terms, and recent evidence that cutting for domestic purposes and related activities is damaging remaining bogs. He was replying to a question from Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten.

Martin Ryan
© Irish Examiner