Deenihan’s heritage comments criticised

Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan’s remarks that he wished he had not taken on part of his portfolio have been criticised by a conservation charity.

The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) said the arts and culture minister had taken a “dim view” of the heritage part of his brief after he remarked “part of me wishes that the portfolio had been kept to arts, sports and tourism”.

He was explaining to The Kerryman newspaper that he would argue to Europe that some bog owners should be allowed to continue to cut turf. He said his “sympathies are first and foremost with the turf-cutters, including members of my own extended family on Moanveanlagh”, referring to bogs in his local county.