Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is scandalous. When we ask questions in the Dáil as to why this or that is happening, we are told there is a war going on and exceptional things are arising from that. However, during the Second World War, turf kept this country going. It was the boglands of the country that kept it going. This is an exceptional time. I am appealing to the Government, to the Minister and to his party to realise that this is an exceptional time when costs are increasing daily and jobs are extremely hard to hold onto. If we cannot hold onto jobs, we cannot create jobs. I am appealing, through the Chairman, to the Government and the Minister. They must listen to our guests. They cannot keep going on the wind if they cannot get the product they need. We have it here in the country.

This man, Mr. Mel O’Rourke, says that we have the black turf that we need, and I know what he is talking about. It is the fright of God that we will have these kinds of industries closed down, such as the mushroom industry and the horticultural industry, and all that it is involved in these. They are Irish and we should be proud of them and try to hold onto them. I am appealing to those people in the Department to come in here when the committee arranges another meeting for them. I thank the witnesses for coming in this evening.