Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

There is no point in saying there are obvious differences between us on the issue and we will not go through them today because I am not asking about them. It is important to say that when the Minister mentions 15 years of compensation or the delivery of turf, that delivery is not for 15 years. Although we may be happy about aspects of that provision, it is an issue for another day.

Time will tell if we agree on the following issue. The last thing we want is people who have not been cutting turf applying for compensation to help them with burning turf or getting alternative fuel in their files. I flag this as a potential problem because the only people who have contacted me about the compensation package have turned out not to be entitled to the package because they have not cut turf for years. I only discovered this on delving into their requests. I told them there was no point in applying for the scheme but the vast majority said they would apply for it anyway because they might get it. Whatever about what we disagree on, I presume we agree there is a shortage of money in the State and if we are to pay compensation to people - if people want compensation it is their own business, knowing the pitfalls around it - we must be wary of people taking advantage of the scheme who are not entitled to it when it was meant for others.

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