Plans by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources Dr Woods, to issue mineral prospecting licences in west Connemara, including the environmentally sensitive Roundstone Bog, have been stalled by the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv.
The Minister of State has intervened, pending consultation with his Department. Mr O Cuiv confirmed yesterday that Duchas, the Heritage Service, was not consulted about the proposal.
A notice of intention to grant the licences to a Canadian mining company, Falconbridge Ltd of Toronto, was published by Dr Woods late last month. The proposed licences cover prospecting for base metals, barytes, silver, gold and platinum.
The areas affected cover west Connemara from Roundstone to Slyne Head, including Round stone Bog, which is a proposed world heritage area and is recognised as one of the finest stretches of lowland blanket bog in Europe. Most of the townlands were designated as Natural Heritage Areas in 1994-1995, and more recently as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the EU Habitats Directive.
Mr Tim Robinson, of Save the Roundstone Bog campaign, who is opposed to the prospecting application, emphasises they are also areas of great natural beauty, and their scenic amenity value is recognised in the Galway county plan.
This is the second controversy affecting the bog. O Cuiv. A proposal by a private group to revive the Clifden airstrip plan and locate it at Derrygimlagh by the remains of the Marconi Telegraph Station have been opposed by the Save Roundstone Bog group and a plethora of environmental organisations.
Acknowledging the environmental implications of the airstrip late last year, Mr O Cuiv commissioned a survey to identify possible alternative sites in the Clifden area. He also ordered that a conservation plan for Roundstone Bog be prepared.
Mr Robinson said one of the first steps in carrying out a conservation plan for the bog should be to inform the various commercial interests who wish to exploit it to "take their eyes off it".
