Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

In some cases, the option of funding towards conversion was accepted. I accept the right of people to do that too.

The category of cutter on commonage land, such as in Ballinough, has in my experience adhered to the directive but has never been compensated for so doing. They, too, need to be brought into the fold based on their history of cutting on unencumbered lands. They should be offered the same compensatory options and rights. As I stated, the ground on which they cut is not contested and they should, therefore, where they can provide the relevant proof of cutting over time, be entitled to compensation.

The third category must be recognised as an asset which deserves to be compensated on a per acre basis. We should not be seeking to allow only one lifetime of cutting for one family, which does not take account of historic value and ownership. Turf cutting must be recognised as valuable farm or off-farm income. While what the Minister has brought forward goes some way towards achieving this, it does not go far enough.

We must compensate acre for acre. A person who has ten acres of bog is entitled to ten acres compensatory bog. They should not be entitled to only one acre of bog to provide for their family. This does not take account of the historic value of an acreage to a particular family and the many generations before them. These people must be properly compensated. What the Minister has proposed this evening is the bones of a deal. It goes much further than what was previously proposed. The three categories that need to be considered are those who in places such as Mountbellew as mentioned by Deputy Connaughton provide for their immediate families and those in my constituency of Clara who came together to find a solution in respect of provision for themselves and their immediate families; those who cut on commonage and have been left behind because they do not have the type of representation which many others involved in this argument down through the years have or have had and, those who have large holdings who, like it or lump it, are entitled to like for like compensation.

If compensation is to be monetary then there must be comprehensive analysis of land based on the income derived by families in recent years. It must be remembered that these people provide a source of fuel which keeps so many people out of the fuel poverty trap.

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