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Action 24. Cessation of Turf Cutting in Raised Bogs - Make Your Submission by the 17th July 2009

There are two ways that you can make a submission, electronically and by post. Just follow the steps below.

1. You can get a printout of this letter - fill in your name and address and post it to:

The Secretary
The Cessation of Turf Cutting Working Group
National Parks and Wildlife Service
7 Ely Place
Dublin 2

2. Alternatively you can send an electronic version of your submission by e-mail. First copy the letter below then click here to obtain the email address for the Cessation of Turf Cutting Working Group. Paste the letter into the email and you can then type in any additional suggestions you have to make to help find a solution to the problem of the cessation of turf cutting on peatlands of nature conservation importance.

The deadline for your submission to the Cessation of Turf Cutting Working Group is 17th July 2009.

Return to Introductory Page on The Cessation of Turf Cutting

The Secretary
The Cessation of Turf Cutting Working Group
National Parks and Wildlife Service
7 Ely Place
Dublin 2

Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to make the following submission on the Cessation of Turf Cutting Scheme:

Consultation Board
A consultation board and consultation process needs to be put in place between conservation agencies and all affected landowners in relation to the cessation of turf cutting on designated raised bogs.

Financial Compensation
Turf is a cheap form of fuel and is an important element to many households in Ireland. A substantial funding package for the cessation of turf cutting should be put in place. Because the majority of turf plot holdings of active turbary rights holders are small an attractive front loaded compensation package needs to be provided to encourage turbary rights holders to participate in the scheme. Compensation measures should take into account not only acreage but also the volume of turf in the plot. The land registry must accommodate people who have sold turbary rights to the National Parks and Wildlife Service but do not have up-to-date titles on their plots. This will allow people with out of date land titles to participate in the cessation scheme and get paid more rapidly.

Licensing
All turf cutting practice in Ireland should be regulated under the planning system. Turf production by contractors should be licensed to guarantee that the product being sold to householders does not come from an NHA or SAC. Specifically turf cutting on SACs and NHAs needs to be licensed under the 1999 Farm Agreement and the turf cutting machinery used needs to be strictly controlled and monitored. The licensing process should ensure that the volume of turf cut should be solely for the use of a single household.

Sources of Funding
Possible sources of funding for the compensation measures might include the plastic bag tax, the Lottery, a cessation of turf cutting licensing fee for all active turf cutters on peatlands including sites that are not designated together with SACs and NHAs. Co-funding with a special EU grant package could also be explored. The EU were generous in the past when the National Parks and Wildlife Service were purchasing intact raised bogs from Bord na Móna for conservation.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful and I look forward to hearing the outcome of your group.

Yours faithfully

____________________
Name and address