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Turf pledge wanted
Pádraig an Táilliúra” Ó Conghaile. No resolution until a promise is made that that tradition will never be interfered with.
“I asked them why would
they not talk to the public?
“There’ll be no resolution of the Connemara turfcutting issue until a promise is made that that tradition will never be interfered with,” says Pádraig an Táilliúra” Ó Conghaile. Pádraig was in Carraroe to advise turfcutters from the area. Although the National Parks and Wildlife Service have said that no efforts will be made to stop turf cutting in the region Pádraig is unhappy with the lack of a full official pledge.
“I’m asking them to say publicly that no attempt will be made to stop turfcutting during my life, my son’s and his son’s life. But although they state they will not they are not happy to say publically and officially even what period.” That to Pádraig means case unclosed.
Pádraig and fellow turfcutter campaigners had a meeting with NPWS in Glinsk House Hotel last month. “ I asked them why they never attended any of the public meetings they were invited to, why would they not talk to the public? The public were not really consulted about all the new preservation areas status about the bogs and a lot were taken completely by surprise.”
On the NPWS side there was agreement that the matter could have been handled better and that mabe not enough publicity and information was given out about the consequences of special areas of conservation when they were impending. Ireland had received a ten-year derogation from EU but the full force of legislation applying to special conservation areas came into effect last year. Ireland faces heavy fines for failure to implement this legislation.
Pádraig was at another meeting with Minister Jimmy Deenihan at the County Council offices in Galway but was disappointed at the lack of local support that turned out for their case. Afterwards came TD Seán Ó Cadhain’s statement regarding non-interference with turfcutting in Connemara. But why, asks Pádraig, is there never a period mentioned in any statement?
“Connemara has blanket bog alone but the real pressure is coming on areas where there are raised bogs as in the east side of Galway for example. “
Pádraig would prefer if all special preservation status was removed from bogs. “Farmers would never kill any bird ever. People should be looking at the real damage being caused to the areas by mink and foxes.”
