An environmental advocacy group claims that turf cutting is being carried out at several special areas of conservation in the Shannonside region - despite being illegal since 2011.
According to the Irish Wildlife Trust, documents show that turf-cutting took place at 16 SACs in 2020 including the Cloonchambers, Ballinagare and Callow bogs in Roscommon.
The group claims that authorities are turning a blind eye to turf cutting and has called on the government to address what it claims is the continued loss of valuable peatland areas.
Pádraic Fogarty is IWT campaigns officer:
Michael Fitzmaurice is chairman of the Irish Turfcutters and Contractors Association.
The Roscommon-Galway TD claims that some of the bogs do not have the legal status of full SAC and some areas are being cut for turf that are outside of the SAC designated areas:
