The compensation available to turf cutters who have to cease cutting in special compensation areas will be enhanced.
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan made the announcement in the Dáil this evening.
Mr Deenihan said the annual payment would be raised from €1,000 to €1,500 for a maximum period of 15 years and a €500 once-off payment would be made for signing up to the scheme early.
He said the Government was committed to engaging with all parties to ensure that a breakdown in communications between the State and its citizens does not ensue.
The Minister was speaking during a debate on a private members' motion on the future of turf cutting in special environmental areas.
Independent TD Luke Flanagan, who put down the motion, said 57 areas were affected by new regulations, which means people have to stop cutting on those bogs.
Mr Flanagan said he was willing to compromise and move to a different area to carry out his turf-cutting, but he said compromise by turf-cutters required compromise on the other side.
Independent TD Thomas Pringle said a workable solution can be reached, but there was no silver bullet to end the pressure that bogs are experiencing.
He said including people in the solution will yield progress.
Elsewhere, Padraic Divilly of the Irish Farmers' Association welcomed the announcement and said it was "a step in the right direction".
