Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to address the targets set in the Estimates. The target for 2013 was to end turf cutting on raised bogs. That target was missed on what the Minister terms SSE raised bogs and what I call "so-called SSEs". For how much longer will he continue to kid himself, given that there are 9,000 turbary rights land owners on the 53 so-called SSEs and that after 18 years of coercion or trying to convince people - a phenomenal level of scaremongering - only 796 landowners out of the total of 9,000 with turbary rights have followed what he has tried to get them to do? When does he think he will have the issue resolved?

The Minister mentions - in fairness to him, it has been very carefully worded - that he accepts that none of the 53 so-called SSEs has seen successful relocations. This is borne out by the statement that three groups on three bogs have accepted relocation, but after all this time, since 1997 - some say as far back as 1992 - none of the issues has been resolved. There is a variety of reasons for this, but the major reason is that people would like to have something similar to replace what they have; it is a case of it being like for like. The reason this will not work, even in 1,000 years - the same reason applies to the 45 NHAs that the Minister is considering de-designating within three years and having everyone involved agree to relocation - is that the authorities must learn the lesson that until one offers like for like, one will not arrive at a solution. Whether it be a house, bog or any piece of property or land, if one does not offer like for like, one will not get a deal. If somebody was to come to the door of a city dweller to tell him or her that he or she had to get out of the house, he or she would be annoyed. It might be easier to accept if a person was told he or she might be given another house, but if a person were to discover that after 65 years, he or she or his or her family had to leave the house, he or she would not accept it. Unless the Minister offers like for like, the deal will never be accepted. The Minister can keep trying to convince people it is working and set himself a target of 2014-16 to stop them cutting turf on the so-called SSEs, but until he plays ball and does things fairly, that will never happen.

On the issue of commemorating the 1916 Rising, I suggest the best way to do so would be to allow people to cut turf without dragging them through the courts and calling them bad citizens and criminals. The best way to celebrate the centenary of the 1916 Rising is not with a load of fluff but a dose of reality. Let me say one thing for sure: I will go and cut turf in 2016, as will many others. The target date of 2013 was not achieved and the target date of 2014 will not be achieved until the Minister treats people fairly. Otherwise, the memory of the 1916 Rising will only ever be a memory and we will have learned nothing of what those involved stood for - freedom. There is no freedom to be gained in what the Minister is offering.