Responding to a parliamentary question from Independent TD Denis Naughten, Minister Humphreys said some 48 applicants have been accommodated on non-designated bogs, with a further seven scheduled so far to be accommodated next year.

The minister corrected the figure referred to by Naughten, saying that of the 3,091 applications received under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme for Special Area Conservation (SAC) raised bogs, 755 applications had been received in relation to relocating to non-designated bogs, rather than the 781 figure provided by the Independent TD.

Responding to Naughten's assertion that it would take 276 years to complete the re-location process at the government's current rate of progress, the Minister said progress is being achieved, but added that "relocation is a complex process. It involves investigating suitable sites for turf quality and quantity, determining the infrastructure-drainage works required, establishing the number that can be accommodated on the site and the cost and feasibility of land purchase or lease, and meeting possible planning and environmental impact assessment requirements."

The bogs where re-locations have so far been successful are the Clara bog SAC in County Offaly, where 25 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on Killeranny bog, and Carrownagappul and Curraghlehanagh bogs SACs in County Galway, where 23 qualifying turf cutters have been accommodated on the Islands and Killasolan bogs.

A further seven qualifying turf cutters from Carrownagappul and Curraghlehanagh bogs are being accommodated at Cloonabricka bog in County Galway where turf cutting is scheduled to commence next year.

48 turf cutters re-located to non-designated bogs in past 12 months

Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has provided figures on the number of people to have been re-accommodated on non-Special Area Conservation bogs in the past 12 months.