Turf cutters claim victory in bog battle
Defiant turf cutters have claimed they won a battle against officials, but not the war.
One man was arrested and another taken to hospital when his machinery was destroyed by fire as a stand-off escalated overnight in Portumna in Co Galway.
More than 100 turf cutters from around the country joined locals at Clonmoylan Bog as they attempted to stop officials removing equipment from an adjoining field.
Independent TD Luke Ming Flanagan claimed gardaí finally “gave in” but vowed to contact the Garda Ombudsman over the dispute and blaze.
“They are going to return the machinery to the turf cutter,” he said.
“Basically we have won this one, but it’s a small battle along the way to winning this war.”
Ireland has been ordered to protect and conserve important peatland habitats on raised bogs under the EU Habitat’s Directive.
Protesters maintain officials from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) yesterday tried to remove machinery belonging to turf cutting contractor Michael Darcy from a field outside the conservation zone.
But when an excavator, worth about €60,000, was destroyed in a blaze after it was detained, Mr Darcy collapsed and was taken to hospital.
A deal was brokered and a stand-off called off when it was agreed to return the remaining machinery to Mr Darcy.
“People from all over the country came here because there’s great solidarity between the turf cutters,” said Mr Flannagan.
“This was his livelihood and his tax to the state.
“If we lose this battle a lot of people will be on the dole.”
Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan earlier appealed to turf cutters to obey the law, cooperate with gardaí and work with a national plan that involved all bogs being surveyed again, but only if no turf cutting takes place on protected areas.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter also stressed the law has to be applied in the dispute.
He revealed Ireland risked a €25,000 fine by the European Commission every day if turf cutting did not cease on the bogs and that gardaí would continue to provide assistance to NPWS.
Elsewhere, a Garda spokeswoman confirmed one man was arrested yesterday for a minor breach of the Public Order Act and released without charge.
“Gardaí are also investigating an alleged incident of criminal damage when an excavator was set on fire at 3.30am at the bog,” she added.
