Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand all that. What I am saying is if I buy the field, the field is my baby after that. It is not Bord na Móna's or anyone else's. That is all I am saying.

I welcome what has been said. I understand the legal side of it. I am not questioning that whatsoever. I am talking about - it was stated to me previously - where there were cases where there were agreements made or whatever. That is for us to follow-up and to talk to Bord na Móna, but I welcome what Ms Mallon said.

On Bord na Móna, the following is a case that I have a full file on. Bord na Móna in 2009 and 2010 was promoting willow. Edenderry was the place that Bord na Móna was going. While I am relating this sad story, the witness can note another question: is Bord an Móna going for the licence for the power plant again?

Bord na Móna was promoting willow and farmers bought into it around the country around that time. I have a case in Mayo where a farmer bought into it and was told - I am aware the witnesses did not know this - that it would be going up the country a long distance from Mayo and that, for example, Lanesborough and Shannonbridge would be going down the willow road as well. I understand fully that the court case and all these things were a problem. Unfortunately this man had lost his son and he was doing what he thought was good for his family and doing good for the climate etc. It was sown, there was an agreement done and everything looked lovely. This person is elderly. You would imagine a person sent out to advise, no more than if Teagasc goes out to advise, would go through everything. The bridge on the road had to be widened for the machine to go in to cut it the first year. It is 11 years on the go and, to be honest about it, I would give more to a child than what it has made over those 11 years. The ground was not suitable, to put it simply. I have a letter where the contractor has said that it will not go in there anymore. I can send Mr. Breen a video of the rooting that went on trying to take it out. Is there a way that Bord na Móna will sit down with farmers where mistakes have been made and resolve those issues because if it is not suitable and if it has been a disaster, it costs to put it back into land? Where mistakes were made and people have been advised wrongly, is Bord na Móna prepared to sit down with that poor divil, an elderly person who thought he was doing right?