Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----and I have an excellent working relationship with the Minister of State but the game councils tell me he has had 50 meeting with environmental NGOs. It is very important, given the role NARGC has played in the cultivation, development, safeguarding and underpinning of values in rural Ireland. Our new Taoiseach said he would underpin everything that happens in rural Ireland as a key component to this Government. I know Mr. Ó Donnchú cannot give a cast-iron guarantee but I need an absolute assurance leaving here and when I go back to tell the good people of Longford that in terms of the stakeholder forum, NARGC will have the same voice and its views will carry the same weight as any NGO or other representative group within that organisation. In other words, NARGC will not be going in as part-players or as lip service and that its input and value is the same as any other organisation or representative group.