Dept seeks bogland for displaced Galway turf-cutters

The Department of Heritage has begun negotiations with bog owners in Galway as part of a purchase scheme for turf-cutters displaced from their own designated bogs.

Some of the owners of existing bogs in Galway have sought relocation under the Cessation of Turf-Cutting Compensation Scheme (CTCCS).

Under that scheme, owners of bogs which are designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) – where cutting is now illegal – can apply to the Department for financial compensation or relocation to a non-designated site.

The Department is now attempting to buy plots of undesignated bog east of the Clonboo-Headford Road for owners of raised bog land in the Lough Corrib SAC.

A Government spokesperson told the Connacht Tribune: “Some applicants of the CTCCS from Lough Corrib (Curraghmore) raised bog SAC are seeking relocation to a non-designated bog in their locality.

“It was to this end that the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht advertised seeking to purchase bog plots from land owners or turbary rights owners of undesignated bog east of the Galway-Clonboo/Headford Road.

“If any individuals reply to the advert wishing to sell their bog or turbary rights to the Department, we will then assess the bog/turbary rights to see if it is suitable for the purposes of relocating turf cutters from Lough Corrib SAC.

“The Department is working to accommodate all applicants of the CTCCS who have applied for relocation and an important point when considering suitable relocation sites is their closeness to designated SACs.

“Relocation sites are offered to applicants under the CTCCS based on geographical proximity to their original turf cutting site,” the spokesperson said.

The Department has confirmed that it has entered negotiations to purchase some land.

“To date the Department has not purchased any land in Galway for the purposes of relocation under the CTCCS. However, in some cases, negotiations with landowners have commenced.

“The position is that a total of 2,959 applications [nationally] for compensation under the CTCCS have been received. Of these, 820 applicants have expressed an interest in relocation to non-designated bogs.

“Relocation is a very complex process, in terms of investigating suitable sites however, notwithstanding this complexity, progress in relocating turf cutters to non-designated bogs is being achieved in a number of cases,” the spokesperson said.