Eighteen years after the signing into law of the EU Habitats Directive on the restriction of turf cutting on SAC designated bogs, a succession of Governments have failed to deliver on the relocation of turfcutters, stated Denis Naughten TD.
“Since the introduction of bog designations, there has been a complete failure to deliver on a fundamental plank of this law, to relocate turfcutters to alternative sites, with just 6% of turfcutters transferred”
“The abject failure of the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) to deliver an alternative turf bank for those wishing to continue to cut turf clearly shows that it is incapable of performing one of its basic functions and, as a result, senior management should themselves be relocated,” stated Denis Naughten.
“From talking to staff within the NPWS, it is clear from the outset that senior management was intent on ensuring that turfcutters were forcibly removed from bogs, without any alternative turf bank being provided to them.
“This agenda started with the designation of bogs adjoining SAC bogs as National Heritage Areas (NHAs), which in reality meant that turfcutters were forced, at a very minimum, to travel large distances to save turf – some even being forced out of their own county.
“Then with the change of Government in 2011, when relocation at last became a priority at political level, management failed to provide the support needed to ensure alternative bogs were identified and opened up for turf cutting.
“It must be remembered, even though relocation is supposed to be a priority of the Department, just 3% of turfcutters have been relocated during the term of this Government and this is despite, rather than as a result of, the Department’s actions as this success was down to the direct actions of retired TD, Paul Connaughton.”
Denis Naughten added: “What is even more galling is the fact that €11 million has been forked out by the Department in respect of annual payments, turf deliveries and once-off incentive payments to turf cutters who, in the majority of cases, would have accepted an alternative turf bank if it was made available.
“This issue has been badly managed from the start and I have no doubt that NPWS staff on the ground in communities working closely with turf cutters could have found an acceptable solution to this problem from the outset.
“Government now needs to accept that that the current policy has failed, that NPWS management needs to be sidelined and real engagement needs to take place with turfcutters on the ground who have put forward workable alternatives,” concluded Denis Naughten.
See link to Dail reply: https://www.