Dáil debates

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

 

Turbary Rights: Motion (Resumed)

6:00 pm

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

Yes.

Several previous speakers referred to a particular issue, namely, that which relates to process. It is easy to blame Brussels. We must begin to look to ourselves rather than blaming Brussels. We must accept our own culpability in respect of certain matters. I do not know the number of occasions on which a Part 8 process would have been initiated - as part of which newspaper advertisements, etc., would have been placed - and it would not have been until the machines rolled in or the letters arrived that people realised the impact the said process would have on them. We must learn from matters of this nature. An impact assessment process must be put in place in order that we might avoid the kind of unnecessary conflict which can arise. It often takes a massive effort, at both official and voluntary level, to resolve conflicts of this nature. We should look to ourselves in the context of seeking solutions in the future.

Cutting bogs did not merely begin a couple of hundred years ago. Turf cutting dates back thousands of years. Many archaeologists attribute to it an almost mythical status. Bogs were often seen as the crossing over point between the human and spirit worlds. Many of the artefacts which have been discovered in bogs were buried for just that reason. Bogs have proven to be virtual treasure troves and people out cutting turf have discovered some priceless artefacts. I refer in this regard to the terrific manuscript that was uncovered only five or six years ago. Clonycavan man, who was discovered in a bog, is now part of an exhibition and his body has given us so much information about the past. The acidic nature of bog water and the lack of oxygen within bogs does not allow the type of decomposition which would occur at other locations to take place. We have gained so much more from our boglands than mere turf.

There is a strong cultural aspect to turf cutting which was missed when the habitats directive was under consideration. I am concerned with regard to whether we are using the correct conservation methods. We received a briefing on the Fernandez report in recent days. This report indicates that some of the raised bogs which have not been cut during the past ten years have diminished to some extent. It also states that the opposite is true of some of the bogs which have been cut. If we are to approach this matter from the point of view of conservation, the evidence in the report to which I refer gives rise to a number of questions to which we must seek answers. Those answers must be found if the object of the exercise is to conserve what is unique about the habitats of raised bogs.

I return to the issue of process. We have encountered so many difficulties in this regard. One need only consider what happened at Rossport to realise that this is the case. Everyone in the House could highlight matters which escaped people's attention until they realised they was going to impact on them in a very negative way. In addition to finding a solution to the matter under discussion, we must also find a solution with regard to how we go about our business. We are not particularly good at resolving matters and this is certainly an issue which demonstrates that.

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