A Galway County Councillor is calling on the Government not to interfere with single farm payments to owners of raised bog SAC sites.

Sinn Fein Cllr Dermot Connolly is to raise a motion on the matter when the local authority meet for their monthly meeting this Friday [Jul 20].

It follows reports of a planned cut to single farm payments for raised bog owners who continue to cut turf in special areas of conservation, despite an EU directive which prohibits the activity.

12 bog complexes across County Galway are effected by the ban.

Cllr Connolly told Galway Bay fm news that the speculated cut would unfairly penalise farmers who are already struggling.

He is now calling on the government to rethink any such proposal