According to a European Union directive, the end is imminent for domestic turf cutting on Irish bogs.
Under the European Union Habitats Directive of 1999, Bellanagare Bog in County Roscommon, along with 31 other Irish bogs, has been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). A 10 year derogation from its measures, allow cutting turf for domestic use, expires in February 2009.
Owen Harpur is sad to be making the final cuts of turf from Bellanagare Bog,
We want to cut our turf; it's there for thousands of years with us.
Compensation has been made available for those affected by the imminent ban on domestic turf cutting. But many like Bernadette Kelly are reliant on turf as a source of fuel,
It provides us with heating for our home and all of the domestic water supply that we need.
She feels that switching from turf to an alternative source of fuel such as oil will prove to be a huge expense.
In 1998 a group of bog and wetland owners joined forces to form the SAC Alliance Action Group, chaired by Ballinagare resident Michael Mulleady. In his opinion,
We were let down by our so called legislators, who didn’t legislate.
He is adamant the bog and wetland owners will keep up the pressure,
We're not going away anyway.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 June 2008. The reporter is Philip Bromwell.
