Feighan reveals €3.25m now paid out in compensation to turfcutters

Fine Gael TD for Roscommon/South Leitrim, Frank Feighan, has revealed that to date €3.25m has been paid out in compensation to turfcutters, with more than 35% of the compensation issued going to Roscommon turfcutters.

“The total compensation paid in County Roscommon to those affected by the turfcutting ban now stands at approximately €1.2m.  Many of the Roscommon turfcutters have now received Year 2 of their annual financial payment of €1,500, an index-linked payment which runs for a total of 15 years.

“I want to pay tribute to officials in the Department of the Environment who have worked so hard to process these payments. I also want to remind people here that the scheme is still very much open, so those who feel they qualify can still make an application which will be processed in due course.

“While the issue of relocation for some turfcutters, who wish to avail of this option, is a much more sensitive issue, I know that all stakeholders, including the Chair of the Peatlands Council, Seamus Boland, are working extremely hard to make relocation a major priority.

“It is also important to remember that the concerns of turf-cutters wishing to relocate have been recognised by the Department. These turfcutters will receive a one off payment of €500 and will be entitled to receive either a payment of €1,500 or a delivery of 15 tonnes of turf for each year until their relocation bog is ready to commence turf-cutting.

“This EU directive affecting turfcutters has been a very difficult and emotional issue and I want to be pay tribute to the turfcutting community and how it has handled the situation. In very difficult circumstances, they clearly understand this Government has been forced to deal with a legacy issue where continued non-compliance under the EU Habitats Directive would have meant fines running into tens of millions of euro for this country.”

ENDS