Petition to save protected Irish peatlands

joela

Hi all,

I asked the mods if it would be ok to post this petition here so I hope you don't mind. The petition is to let Jimmy Deenihan and the EU Commissioner know that we want turf cutting stopped immediately on Irish Raised Bogs designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). The bogs were designated under the EU Habitats Directive which was transposed into Irish law in 1997, amended a couple of times and then replaced in 2011 by the Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations. So although the directive originated from Europe it is Irish law which provides the legal framework in Ireland.

Some of the bogs in question were designated as early as the mid 90's and on into the early noughties so really this law isn't new, the derogation given by the Irish government to the turf cutters back then was actually not legal. The derogation was however always finite, the EU had rapped them on the knuckles a few times and time again the Irish government promised more without actually doing anything. That is until the EU said enough is enough under Gormley and issued a final warning last year.

The turf cutters knew this was happening/would happen but they assumed the Irish government could keep getting money from Europe without any compliance from the Irish end. Then when eventually they realised that they would have to actually stop they threw the toys out of the pram, started stamping their feet and tantruming etc. Now it is all too late, bogs are protected, EU pissed off, those of us who care about the environment despairing and the turf cutters on some bogs have continued to cut and by all accounts are causing wholesale destruction this year. Personally I have had enough, I work in the environmental sector, I adhere to rules and best practice so why should it be any different for anyone else. These people don't give a damn about anyone else and their behaviour is destroying natural heritage, wetlands valuable as natural flood defences, as natural water filters and as carbon sinks on a global scale.

So, apologies for the rant and hope the synopsis of the situation makes sense. Please consider signing and sharing (FB, Twitter etc.) the petition at http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_Irelands_protected_peatlands/?cxtUTcb

joela

New Report just released from Friends of the Irish Environment which is supported by aerial photographs which were taken on the 29th May. The report while unsurprisingly depressing to read is not the most shocking thing by a long shot when you take a look at the photographs. The report can be accessed here and the photos here. Some of these bogs, 7 I think, received EU Life funding for restoration and they are being literally destroyed. The blatant abuse of the law is awful but the view of the wanton illegal destruction is shocking.