Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

Sorry. I say to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister, Deputy Deenihan, that the drums of rural Ireland are beating loudly and they will not be silent. Rural Ireland has had enough anti-rural legislation, intimidation and bullying.

A letter from North Tipperary County Council was sent with regard to the development of the Nore Valley bog on 27 February 2012. It was addressed to dear sir or madam. This is nice language; the county council could not address the person by name. The letter stated it had come to the attention of the planning authority that the person may have carried out unauthorised development consisting of peat extraction at Nore Valley bog, Timoney, Roscrea, County Tipperary. What next? We cannot harvest our bogs. My goodness. Skyscrapers were allowed to be built in Dublin and the Seanie FitzPatricks got away with murder. No one has been sent to jail. However, people are being threatened with fines over turf. The letter sent by North Tipperary County Council is a disgrace.

A colleague of the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, stated a letter was sent in error last week. The officials who send out these letters should be censured. I will not say they should be demoted or sacked but they should certainly be censured. Why should they undermine the Government? Why do they cause people fear? Why do they create an urban rural divide? Is it because of their selfish need for promotion? It is callous, ignorant and unfair to rural people.

We can take a leaf out of the book of Deputy Luke "Ming" Flanagan, and we can also do so with regard to the legislation that will create Water Ireland. This would mean listening to people and sitting down and engaging with them. We are a fair people and we will not be portrayed as a dirty people. What is most disenchanting to rural people is being portrayed as not caring for the environment. They are the best carers for the environment and for our built and natural heritage and they will continue to be so. Turf will be cut no matter what the bureaucrats say.

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