Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

In just one year the Government has travelled further on this issue than was travelled in the previous 12 years. I hope the House will acknowledge our earnest endeavours to protect the rights of turf cutters and the State's interest in the face of litigation and secure the long-term conservation of these sites. Deputies such as Frank Feighan, Paul Connaughton, Martin Heydon and Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, to name but a few, have also worked hard to bring parties together. This is a time for strong leadership from all sides. The honest, hard-working and law-abiding people to whom Mr. Justice Quirke listened last week are anxious to achieve an agreed way forward on this difficult issue. We owe it to them and the wider community to accept Mr. Justice Quirke's advice and move ahead. Together we can develop a new relationship of partnership, co-operation and trust.

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