Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is important that the State does become involved because it is obvious to anyone who knows anything about it that Bord na Móna's financial resources are already stretched. The cost of the redundancy package that must be available to the workers in the midlands and County Tipperary has to be met from its resources; there will, therefore, be no investment funds left. The support of the ISIF must be made available to Bord na Móna and it must work in conjunction with it.

I ask the Taoiseach to raise one other issue with Bord na Móna. In County Tipperary 10,000 acres of bog stretch from Littleton as far as County Laois.

Already, we have had trespassing on these lands and people have taken ownership of lands. It is a major concern for local residents in local areas because of vandalism and the violence that goes with it. Bord na Móna should be asked to protect what is a national asset. We are talking about 10,000 acres of land in my area. We are also talking about huge industrial buildings that have a value, but if they are not secured properly, they will lose it.

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