Bord na Móna is being urged to halt its plans to rewet hundreds of acres of County Roscommon bog until farmers’ flooding fears are addressed.
A public meeting highlighting these concerns is taking place this evening, Tuesday, at 6 p.m. in St. Faithleach’s GAA clubhouse in Ballyleague.
It’s understood that approximately 30 farmers between Ballyleague and Strokestown are claiming that their lands will flood due to the planned rewetting of bogland in Mount Dillon and Erenagh by the semi-state company.
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly explained that exterior drains around the perimeter of the bogs are full of silt, and farmers want them cleaned out now before any possible flooding in winter.
MEP Mullooly has now written to the Bord na Móna CEO over the matter, urging that rewetting does not start until consultation first takes place with farmers on site. He said farmers are not opposed to the bog rewetting but want the company to first carry out clearance work on its drains.
A spokesperson for Bord na Móna said that its dedicated boundary management team was actively working with landowners neighbouring its land bank on a continuous basis in relation to drainage management.
BnM said it only carries out rehabilitation works on its own land bank as part of its Peatland Climate Action Scheme (PCAS).
"This work is carried out in consultation with adjoining landowners as part of BnM’s work to rehabilitate 33,000 hectares of peatlands.
"If a neighbouring landowner has a query regarding BnM’s management of boundary drains, BnM asks that they contact its boundary management team directly at landuseinfo@bnm.ie
“Detailed maps and documentation are available at its dedicated website bnmpcas.ie. Landowners with any queries related to PCAS, mapping or boundaries are welcome to contact BnM through its dedicated community liaison officer,” the company said.
