Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

There are a lot of experts around.

I do know if one has a problem in business one must address the issues and deal with them. One finds a solution and moves on. I find it strange that the problems surrounding bogs and turf cutting have been around for a long time without resolution and I wonder why this is. There is little doubt the people protesting this evening and the turf cutters who have fought for so long have engaged in what is known as active citizenship. If one wants to change how things are done in this country active citizenship is how to do it. One cannot depend on us politicians to change the world. It is important that people develop a voice. Getting a vote once every five years is not enough. One needs a voice to raise one's concerns and be heard. If one wants to challenge the status quo, which must be done sometimes, and if one wants to challenge the bureaucracy which impedes progress, one must develop this voice.

As an outsider looking in I believe if the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, was a private body it would have lost its contract a long time ago. Over 14 years a total of €750 million has been spent with no resolution. The performance of the NPWS leaves much to be desired.

Bogs were designated behind people's backs with only 27 of the people being informed. There was a lack of clarity with regard to commercial and domestic turf cutting. People were denied access to information. They could not even get the Fernandez report without using the freedom of information process. There was no transparency or accountability. Have we ever heard this before?

Domestic turf cutters were threatened by the agency with legal prosecution. People had their doors kicked by those working for the agency. It entered into 1,200 agreements, reneging on almost half of them. The NPWS felt it had Europe behind it. It certainly had the money. However, an EU Commission report found that 94% of the people of Ireland did not know anything about the habitats directive; so much for what it was up to. The task of progressing this further should not be left with those who have failed for the past 14 years. A lack of trust has developed between them and the turf cutters. We need a new body that will build trust with the people, take forward the turf cutters' initiative and develop a national plan for the bogs and fairness for everyone concerned.

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