Will the Taoiseach tell the House if the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has brought the file on the European Union habitats directive on the 32 raised bogs to the Cabinet? We sincerely hope it will not lead to thousands of turf cutters being driven off the bogs of Ireland. Has a decision been made? The Taoiseach represents a constituency with a large number of bogs, as I do, which perhaps qualifies us as two bog men.
We do not want to get bogged down in the matter.
The then Minister, Síle de Valera, successfully obtained a derogation of ten years when the directive was announced.
I am talking about the current position.
I am just about to bring it to the Deputy’s attention; I was giving some background information because there are others who are not as acquainted with the habitats directive as the Deputy and me. Correspondence has been forwarded to Deputies in the House who have raised the matter by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, stating the Department, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is considering the appropriate legislative and procedural response to a judgment of the European Court of Justice on the implementation of the directive on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment with respect to certain classes of agricultural development. There are no proposals to bring forward further legislation regarding the designation of bogs and the banning of turf cutting on them.
Can we cut turf this year or not?
It depends on the weather. We will see how it looks in the morning.
They can use the sleán but not the sausage machine.
For peats sake! Our country is getting submerged in the mire and they are quipping in the Dáil ?! Sod them!
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