1681. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken in response to the opinion of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union, delivered in June 2026, advising the court to find that Ireland has manifestly and significantly failed to meet its obligations under the Habitats Directive to prevent the deterioration of raised bog and blanket bog habitats in Natura 2000 sites from peat cutting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56414/26]

1682. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when an effective regulatory regime for the protection of blanket bog sites will be put in place, in view of the European Commission's finding that no action had been taken regarding blanket bog sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56431/26]

1687. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated financial exposure of the State to a lump sum fine and daily penalty payments in the event that the Court of Justice of the European Union rules against Ireland in the proceedings concerning the protection of raised bog and blanket bog habitats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56527/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1681, 1682 and 1687 together.

The independent Opinion of the Advocate General presented on 25 June 2026 in Case C-196/25, European Commission v Ireland (Peatland Habitats) to the European Court of Justice recommended that the Court find that Ireland has failed to fulfil certain obligations under the Habitats Directive in relation to the protection of Natura 2000 raised bog and blanket bog habitats. Noting that the Opinion is advisory in nature and is non-binding, Ireland is awaiting the Court's final judgment to consider whether any further measures are required.

The Habitats Directive is transposed into Irish law by way of, inter alia, the Wildlife Act 1976 and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, and several hundred Statutory Instruments (S.I.) which formally designate sites as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Ireland's position remains that all raised bog and blanket bog SACs are protected under these regulations from the date on which they are notified as candidate Sites of Community Importance to the European Commission. Activities on these sites are subject to regulation by the appropriate consent authority.

Extensive compensation schemes, enforcement powers and monitoring, conservation and restoration programmes are in place to support the protection, conservation and recovery of these protected habitats.

As the proceedings have not yet concluded, it is not possible at this stage to determine whether any financial sanctions will arise. Information on financial sanctions proposed by the European Commission to the European Court of Justice in infringement proceedings can be found on the following European Union websites: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2023:002:FULL and https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/1653/oj/eng.