Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

To those outside who are listening to this debate, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for travelling up here so late in the evening on a school day. This was very difficult to do but you did it. When we organised this debate, we knew this would be a major challenge. Fair dues to those who travelled. They have stepped up to the mark and I am proud of them. It is unbelievable that so many have turned out today. It is because of them that I am in this House, sitting in its comfortable seats. I am their servant and I am serving them today.

This is not a new battle. Some may say it began in 1992 but it started 106 years ago in Cloonerco bog when people in the area were told they could no longer cut their turf because the powers-that-be at the time found someone more important to make use of it. When they took the turf banks off local people, Father Michael O'Flanagan, who was, coincidentally, the first man to utter words in Dáil Éireann when he said the prayer at its first sitting, stood by them. He went into the bog, cut turf with them and won the battle. This event showed the depth of passion and importance of turf cutting. Even when the church turned against Fr. O'Flanagan, local people who would have been terrified to stand up to the church on many other issues boarded up the windows and doors of Cliffoney Church. While having lunch yesterday, I met a man whose father hammered some of the nails into the church. He is still proud of what his father did.

This is not an issue that can be solved by money. If that were the case, the problem would have been solved a long time ago. This is about much more than money or keeping one's house warm, although that is the most important aspect of the issue. This is about our culture. Turf means everything where I and the Taoiseach come from. Incidentally, I appreciate the Taoiseach's presence in the House for this debate. Turf cutting is part of our humour, a way to meet people and work with our families that townies like me have never been able to share. When turf cutters see a Ferrari on television, they will usually comment, "I wonder how good that would be at pulling turf out of the bog." If we see a helicopter, we do not wonder if it is the National Parks and Wildlife Service but ask whether if it could pull turf out of the bog. When we see the desert of Dubai on television someone will always say, "One would not be long drying the turf there."

The Turf Cutters and Contractors Association, TCCA, has engaged with the State all along the line. We are good citizens and do not seek conflict as it is not in our interests. We first engaged with the interdepartmental committee on the cessation of turf cutting. Despite its title being abhorrent to our organisation, we gave the interdepartmental committee our report and engaged with it. We then engaged with the Joint Committee on European Affairs and told it our story. The joint committee told us we had one hell of a case and needed help. We subsequently engaged with the Peatlands Council and told it our story. None of these engagements has produced a successful result.

Last week, in Athlone we attended the peatlands forum. While one could argue that someone who has been bitten by a dog is wary about rubbing the dog's head again, we went to the forum and met Mr. Justice John Quirke. The judge listened to us, documented our stories and showed compassion. He was obviously moved by what was said which is easy to understand because men from the country do not cry easily, even if it would be better for us mentally to do so. The hardest of men, those who believe crying makes them soft, stood in front of Mr. Justice Quirke and cried their eyes out. A lady, with whom we became friendly over the course of the meeting, came to the forum to record people's feelings. She was amazed that one person after another broke down and cried in front of the camera. None of the men or women in question will be given an Oscar for acting because there was no acting involved. This is a serious issue. Mr. Justice Quirke heard how suicide had come into families because of the strain this issue has caused. He listened to those who spoke and showed compassion. The Judiciary is sometimes accused of being a little aloof. Mr. Justice Quirke was anything but aloof. While I could be described as the ultimate cynic, I felt strongly that he listened and cared. For that, I must say "well done" to the Government for choosing the right man. The Turf Cutters and Contractors Association recognises this.

The Minister gave us a little hope yesterday. I am grateful for that because I am not in this for confrontation. As I have stated to friends on many occasions, my ambition is to be a postman and live in a country where I can be happy with what is going on around me. If we can solve this problem, I will take one step further to realising my ambition. Yesterday, the Minister stated that turf cutting could possibly take place on a small number of SAC bogs where it is not currently permitted. This approach is consistent with what the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association seeks. All we need is a small amount of bog. Having engaged with and listened to people all over the country at public meetings held in cold halls and having subsequently visited all the bogs in the area - Michael Fitzmaurice did most of this work - the TCCA worked out that its members would be happy to have access to just 2% of the bogs in question. This would provide us with turf for the next 300 years. The TCCA is agreeable to such a scenario, which means our position and that of the Government are closer together than ever. However, for this proposal to work, the House must be united. There is no point whingeing to the European Commission if we do not unanimously support the proposal. That the Taoiseach will accompany us when we speak to Commission officials will be of assistance because it gives a stamp of authority and shows we are serious about this issue. We will then have a great chance.

I plead with the Government to withdraw its amendment to ensure Deputies from all sides sing from the same hymn sheet and we are able to go to Europe united on this issue. The Government appears to agree with every statement in the motion. As it is already on side, we now need it to support the motion. To do so would also strengthen its position in communities in turf cutting areas. This is a win-win scenario for everyone.

If we can win on this issue, we will give people hope on many different issues. Many people are living in despair for various reasons. If they can see a little bit of hope on this issue, perhaps they will see a bit of hope for the future of the country because the Government would be agreeing with all the people on these bogs that what have said is relevant and that they matter. That would be the first time ever that anyone officially said that they matter. That would be amazing and that is the way to win this one.

If the Government parties vote for the motion and we are all united on this, let no one be under any illusion that this will solve the problem. They know this will not solve the problem but this would be the new beginning we need and, from there, we can drive forward and solve this problem. It will not be easy. If it was easy, we would most likely have solved it. If we talk about the entire picture along the lines we have proposed, putting together a national plan and not talking about individual bogs or certain areas being in or out, then it could work.

We are looking for three actions to be taken and they are outlined in the motion and the amendment. On bogs where people have good quality turf within a reasonable distance of their home, they should be allowed to relocate. They are prepared to move because we are dealing with reasonable people. On the bogs where turf cutters have nowhere close by to move to and there is no good quality turf, we require that they be allowed to consolidate into one area on those bogs in order that co-existence can take place. In one case, we need complete compensatory habitat exchange. In other words, there are so many people on that particular bog that moving them around would not make a difference because we would be just getting them to march around in a circle. In that case, we need complete habitat exchange.

With regard to the 2% of bogland we will use, we did not just go out and look at the bogs we owned that were under threat. On Christmas Eve, an hour before Santa should have been arriving at our houses, Michael Fitzmaurice, our chairperson, was in Leitrim identifying a bog that was perfectly intact with no turf cutting taking place on it and with a lake in the middle of it in order that we could guarantee there would be just as many bogs designated in the end in the context of the entire picture and turf cutting could continue.

The TCCA approves of conservation but we believe and now know that conservation and turf cutting can go hand in hand. Everyone can win on this. We need the support of the Government parties tonight and, subsequent to that, we need their support in Europe. I commend the motion to the House.

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