Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I commend Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and his colleagues on bringing forth this motion.

Like others, Sinn Féin understands, appreciates and supports the need to protect our natural habitat. Likewise, we support the right of domestic turf cutters to work their own bogs. Sinn Féin will be supporting this motion, which provides the basis for a comprehensive and reasonable solution to the current impasse. The options proposed by the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association, TCCA, have the potential to serve the best interests of local turf cutters while ensuring the State's full compliance with the habitats directive.

This is a hugely emotive and important issue countrywide. People in Cavan, Meath, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Mayo, Sligo, Offaly, Laois, Roscommon, Tipperary, Westmeath, Longford, Monaghan, Clare and the surrounding areas are affected. Tradition, heritage, natural and cultural, economy, fuel, energy, heat and a way of life are some of the factors at play. The Turf Cutters and Contractors Assocation, TCCA, with others, has done considerable work to find reasonable solutions for its members and Government. I welcome the Minister's acceptance of the Quirke report which for the first time confirms the undeniable breakdown of communication and trust between the relevant parties, which may be difficult to resolve. It has long been recognised that consecutive Governments have failed in their obligations to ordinary turf cutters. It is hoped we will now see complete and comprehensive engagement with local turf cutters on a case by case to ensure reasonable agreements are made in all individual cases.

There is without doubt potential for a win-win scenario, thus turf cutters can continue to cut turf and the State can meet its obligations to Europe. This is what we need without delay.

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