'Illegal Kildare turfcutters' must be pursued

Enforcement action must be taken against large scale turf cutting operations in Kildare.

According to a local councillor there are a couple of major operations running in the county.

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He told a Kildare County Council meeting that these amount to about 124 acres.

He said illegal turfcutting is worth €40m a year and he wants KCC to prioritise “enforcement proceedings” and provide more resources if needed “against illegal peat extractions in this county.”

KCC official Alan Dunney said the council is fully committed to “safeguarding the county’s natural heritage and enforcing full compliance with all applicable legislation within its remit.

Mr Dunney said there are ongoing talks between county councils and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage about  how to provide resources to deal with the problem so “enforcement plans can be implemented consistently and vigorously across the peatlands region.”

He also said a new regional enforcement authority is proposed and, if established, “will prove of significant benefit (to KCC) in the robust and coordinated enforcement of planning law across extensive and complicated land uses.”