Latest Laois News: Two Laois Community Peatland Initiatives see funding doubled

Abbeyleix Bog Project and Mountrath Scout Group see funding doubled

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan doubles grant funding for 25 community peatland initiatives across the country

Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform today, (Monday 22 February), announced that he has approved grant funding of just under €230,000 to 25 local community groups and organisations for a variety of peatlands related projects across Ireland.

Minister Pippa Hackett had this to say about the announcement;

“Our relationship with the bog is changing from one of extraction to one of protection and it’s wonderful to see local groups in the Midlands finding a new appreciation for this fundamental part of our heritage. Under the Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme, the Abbeyleix Bog Project volunteers are receiving €12, 605 towards equipment and software to map 3,000 peat dams, while St. Brendan’s Community School in Offaly is to get €20,000 to upgrade the Killaun Bog looped walk. The Mountrath Scout Group are receiving €2,315 to run awareness and education days at Knockacoller Bog and toward wildlife cameras and drone surveys. I applaud the community groups who have applied for this funding and I look forward to seeing the results of their efforts.”

Announcing the funding under the Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme, which has been operating for the last number of years, Minister Noonan stated that he was delighted to see the diverse range of initiatives put forward by such active community and volunteer groups and environmental organisations. The Minister stated that the amount of high quality applications received for 2021 was impressive and he was delighted there was such a geographic spread – with projects in 15 counties set to benefit.

He said: “The high volume and quality of applications to the Scheme shows just how much communities care about and value their local peatlands, and how much enthusiasm there is across the country for local people to work together to protect, explore and enjoy these precious habitats. These kinds of bottom-up initiatives are inspiring and I’m proud to have the opportunity to support them.”

2021 sees two-fold funding increase compared to 2020

This funding allocation – a two-fold increase on last year’s allocation to the scheme – will support various projects in local peatland areas from boardwalks, maintenance of bog trails, peatland restoration plans, information signage and way finder markers, the surveying of bog habitats and birds, promotional material and publications, oral history projects, invasive species control and peatland education programmes to nature awareness, wellness and sensory experiences.

The Minister went on to praise the important peatland work being done by communities and organisations;

“I know from my own experience that hands-on local action can have enormous positive impacts – not just for nature and biodiversity, but also for people in terms of physical and mental health and wellbeing. Investments in nature deliver enormous social value, which is especially important in these challenging times.”

Projects to benefit include five in Roscommon, four in Galway, two in Westmeath and Laois and one apiece in counties Kildare, Offaly, Kerry, Clare, Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Carlow, Wicklow, Tipperary and Louth.

The projects are as as follows:

Grants Awarded –  Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme 2021