Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider paying the compensation under the turf cutting compensation scheme in a one-off bulk payment as opposed to an annual payment; his plans to cover the remainder of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30126/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was established in 2011 for turf cutters affected by the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog special areas of conservation and was extended in 2014 to include raised bog natural heritage areas. It is comprised of a payment of €1,500 per annum, index-linked, for 15 years, or relocation, where feasible, to a non-designated bog, together with a once-off legal agreement payment of €500.

Relocating domestic turf cutters to non-designated bogs is a complex process and, for certain designated sites, where a suitable relocation site has not been identified or where the identified relocation site cannot accommodate all who have opted to relocate, the 15 years of annual payments under the scheme (less any annual payments or the value of turf deliveries received) has been made available to qualifying applicants who have opted for relocation in the form of a lump sum.

79 qualifying applicants have availed of this option from 15 special area of conservation bogs and 2 natural heritage area bogs.

My Department keeps this lump sum option under review , taking into account the budgetary resources allocated to the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme.