Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

It is unfortunate that the same interest was not shown in 1999 when the former Fianna Fáil environment Minister was in charge of the issue. Up to 1,700 turf cutters have applied for compensation. People are taking this matter seriously and do not want to break the law. I have been supportive of helping them in this regard. We signed up to the habitats directive which was transposed into Irish law and we were supposed to implement it. I am trying to help people to find alternative sources of fuel. That is all I can do, as I cannot change the law. All I can do is secure adequate compensation for turf cutters to ensure they will not be affected by these designations. That is the bottom line.

See this speech in context