Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach spoke about Bord na Móna and options, but would he move to a rented house if he owned his own house? He would not, but that was the option there for bog owners. Therefore, it was a non-option.

The Taoiseach must understand that there are 35 more of these areas coming down the line at the end of next year. Nothing has been resolved. In 17 years only two of those areas have been resolved and nothing has been resolved for 51 others. I welcome the Taoiseach's consideration of the option involving Bord na Móna, but I have spoken to officials time and again and over that time have heard the same response over and again: "We do not know what Europe will say or whether it will accept it or not." Let us get one thing straight. The property is private people's property. Either we own our land or we do not. Does Europe think it owns our land as well as the moneys we are paying it for bank debt?

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