Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It will not come as a surprise that I will ask the Tánaiste questions about An Garda Síochána and her political management of the force. However, before I do, I wish to say something that I think is important. I acknowledge and commend the work that is done every day in this country by members of An Garda Síochána who protect our communities and enforce our law. I also commend and recognise the role that has been played in the past by members of An Garda Síochána who have served this country proudly. I say that at the outset because, unfortunately, recent controversies have significantly damaged the reputation of An Garda Síochána. It is unfortunate, to say the least, that we are now in a situation where we are expecting to hear scandal after scandal in respect of the force. This is having a significant impact on the morale of the force. More seriously, it is having an impact on the good relationship that has historically existed between An Garda Síochána and members of the public. As politicians, we have a responsibility to ensure we rectify that relationship and rebuild the status of An Garda Síochána in our community.

It is seven weeks to the day since senior members of An Garda Síochána told the public that there were 937,000 false breath tests on the PULSE system and 14,700 wrongful convictions as a result of Garda error. At the time, my party stated that we needed answers and accountability. Regrettably, from the force to date, we have not got answers or accountability. Neither have we got political answers or accountability from the Government, which is responsible for An Garda Síochána.

After the breath tests scandal, we had another scandal in respect of what was happening down in Templemore. An audit, which displayed considerable financial irregularities, was conducted. Last week, the Committee of Public Accounts was informed of a litany of financial irregularities in respect of the Garda College at Templemore. More worrying, there was open disagreement in An Garda Síochána between civilian members of senior management of the force and the Commissioner, who is a member of the officer band of the force. This has caused significant concern.

The issues in respect of Templemore were only brought to the Tánaiste's attention by the Commissioner 14 months after she was apprised of them. Under section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act, there is a legal duty on the Commissioner to bring to the Minister for Justice and Equality's attention "significant developments that might reasonably be expected to affect adversely public confidence in the Garda Síochána". It is unquestionably the case that the issues concerning financial irregularities in Templemore have affected public confidence in An Garda Síochána. Is the Tánaiste satisfied that she was told about this 18 months later? Why is it that when she was told, she did not ask the Commissioner the reason she was not told about it earlier? The Tánaiste needs to answer those questions and explain this to the House.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the point that the Deputy makes regarding the work of the members of An Garda Síochána day in, day out throughout the country tackling crime. We should do everything in this House to support the work they do, which is extremely challenging at this time. We should do everything possible to restore morale in An Garda Síochána. That has been my goal and aim since I became Minister for Justice and Equality. Every action I have taken has been to support the reform that is necessary and to support the work of An Garda Síochána. It had been starved completely of resources due to the lack of investment, the closure of Templemore and the lack of investment in the fleet and so on. This is what I inherited from the Government previous to the last. That was the situation I had to deal with. That is the reality of the situation An Garda Síochána was faced with when the Deputy's Government went out of power.

I would not want to underestimate in any way the seriousness of the finding of the interim internal audit report on the finances of the Garda College in Templemore. While it is an interim report, it paints a disturbing picture of the manner in which the college's finances were run, including the existence of a large number of bank accounts and investment accounts linked to the college, staffing issues and issues relating to the ownership and non-use of certain lands. In short, it found that the financial controls in place could not be stood over. While the report did not identify misappropriation as such, the question of whether any criminality might be involved is now being examined, and has to be examined, separately by an assistant commissioner of An Garda Síochána.

As the House will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for An Garda Síochána. As such, she is liable to account to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Garda Vote. The Committee of Public Accounts plays a vital role in ensuring there is proper accountability with regard to public moneys. It is quite clear that the committee is determined to protect the interests of the taxpayers and to examine fully the facts behind what happened at the college. I am aware from its meeting this morning - I saw some of it - that the committee is determined to proceed with this examination. It spent a lot of time discussing precisely how it should proceed, the documentation that is needed and the ambit of its discussions. Many members of the committee emphasised the need for fair procedures to be followed. This should be borne in mind by all Members of the House. Very particular responsibilities lie with Accounting Officers, and the House will appreciate that I must be careful not to interfere in any way with the work of the committee. I can tell the House, however, that I will pay careful attention to the proceedings of the committee and, in particular, any report it may make. If action is required on my part as a result, I will not hesitate to take it.

As I stated yesterday, I cannot have a running commentary on these proceedings. There is a danger. Some people want the examination of these issues to proceed but to reach conclusions before it has been concluded. Some people want to reach verdicts before all the evidence has been heard.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat, a Thánaiste. Tá tú thar am.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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We cannot do that. There is a process in place. We need to get to the end of that process. I got an interim report. There was further work to be done by the auditors. When I got the final report in March, I published it shortly afterwards and immediately referred it to the Policing Authority.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste will have a second opportunity. We have to have some discipline. I call Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. From now on, is will be no latitude day.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My party does not want a running commentary. We want political responsibility in respect of this matter. I asked the Tánaiste a straightforward question. It concerned the legal obligation of the Commissioner under section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act. Is the Tánaiste satisfied that she was notified in adequate time about these significant issues of public concern affecting confidence in An Garda Síochána?

That is the question I asked and I would like the Tánaiste to answer it. Our concern on this side of the House is that it appears to be the case that the Government is allowing the Garda to drift from one scandal to another - the scandals are simply being identified, with no one accepting political responsibility for them. More important than accepting political responsibility, someone in Government must come forward with a plan as to how we will rectify the position regarding public confidence in An Garda Síochána. The force has done too much for this State for us to abandon it politically by saying we cannot come up with a solution. The Tánaiste and the Cabinet have that responsibility, so I ask her again: is she satisfied with the notification she received under section 41, or does she think it was delayed?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for observing the time. The Tánaiste has one minute to respond.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I take that responsibility very seriously and I am very happy for anyone to examine my record. The reality is that we now have a Policing Authority-----

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste should answer the question.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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-----and a strengthened GSOC. These issues are emerging. They did not emerge before under any previous Administration.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act places a requirement on the Garda Commissioner to report certain matters to me. In practice, it is a matter for the judgment of the Commissioner as to when to make reports specifically citing section 41 of the Act. It is a decision for her as to when she-----

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Is the Tánaiste satisfied?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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It is not just a question of legal judgment; it is a question of determining whether a particular set of circumstances fall within the criteria set out in the Act. There are issues too-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Tánaiste is satisfied.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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-----about the stage at which the Garda Commissioner might consider it appropriate to make a report citing section 41. They are used rarely enough. I can also refer a section 41 matter to the Commissioner. Most contacts between the Garda and me do not involve the citation of that specific legal provision, as it happens. Whether a report regarding particular circumstances is made and when it might be made are clearly not straightforward issues-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Is the Tánaiste satisfied with the timeframe?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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-----as has been indicated by some people. It is also worth making the point-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I have to stick to Standing Orders. The Tánaiste was allowed two extra minutes.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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She does not answer the question in any event.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I have no responsibility in that regard.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Yesterday and again today, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, expressed continued confidence in the Garda Commissioner. The Tánaiste does so in the wake of damning documentation presented by the head of Garda human resources, Mr. John Barrett, to the Committee of Public Accounts. This documentation substantiates Mr. Barrett's contradiction of Commissioner O'Sullivan's statement to the committee last week. It details his concerns about how his efforts to raise financial irregularities at Templemore were frustrated. In fact, he expresses the very real worry that the approach of senior gardaí could be perceived as a cover-up. The documentation reiterates the fact that the Commissioner ignored her legal advice and her legal obligation to inform immediately the Tánaiste of the financial irregularities at Templemore. Now we discover that the Tánaiste is, it seems, happy to be left in a state of blissful ignorance in this regard. Worse still, she suggests that the happenings at Templemore were not serious enough to merit a report under section 41. This is quite incredible.

The leadership of the Commissioner has become a conveyor belt of crises, each scandal flying in the face of the central mission of the Garda, that is, to uphold the law and protect the people. Since public confidence in the Commissioner has been torn to ribbons by persistent malpractice, corruption, arrogance and a blatant lack of accountability, it is now the Tánaiste's responsibility to act. It is a disgrace that she refuses to hold this Commissioner to account. The Tánaiste is the Minister for Justice - she is the Commissioner's boss - yet she has done nothing. Deputy Enda Kenny is An Taoiseach - for a few more weeks at least. He is the Tánaiste's boss and he, in turn, has done nothing. Is it any wonder the Commissioner refuses to do the right thing and resign? The Commissioner knows full well that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach will both keep their heads firmly stuck in the sand in an attempt to wish all of this away, but it will not go away. The Tánaiste's handling of the scandals surrounding the Commissioner's leadership of An Garda Síochána is a scandal in and of itself, and the story is now wider than the Commissioner's intransigence. We are in the throes of a serious crisis of governance that fundamentally undermines the credibility of the Tánaiste's Government and the rule of law. This has been brought about by her refusal to act and her incredible insistence that Commissioner O'Sullivan remains the best person to lead An Garda Síochána. The position of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael's partners in government, is equally nonsensical on this score and on the test of accountability.

The Commissioner needs to go. Her position is completely untenable. In no other walk of life, in no other job, would a person so compromised be allowed to stay in her position. The Tánaiste's approach to this crisis has made a laughing stock of the political process within and outside this institution, and her continuing refusal to do her job will only ensure that ordinary people become more angry, more alienated and more cynical.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste talks a great deal about reform.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I call the Tánaiste.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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She talks about raising morale but she does not mean it.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has exceeded her time.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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She is bluffing. When will the Tánaiste stop bluffing? When will she remove the Commssioner and begin that process of reform? That is what she must do. Will she do it?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I suggest to the Deputy that what the public will find extraordinary is that she, as a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, which this morning discussed for two and a half hours how it would approach an examination of this issue, has already made up her mind on the issue of Templemore while it is still before the committee. I suggest to her that what the public will find quite extraordinary is that, without waiting for the evidence regarding the issue, she, as a member of the committee, has given an opinion on the final outcome.

Quite clearly, the issues that have arisen at Templemore underline the need for the reform to which everyone in this House is committed and to which the last Government was committed, which was shown by the establishment of the Policing Authority. This was the first time there has been such oversight, the first time there have been public hearings regarding An Garda Síochána and the first time appointments have been made independently of Government - assistant commissioners appointed already and chief superintendents being appointed. No other Government except this one set that in place, so do not talk to me about not being committed to reform. No other Government has supported An Garda Síochána with the resources as this Government and the previous one has done. We are determined to ensure the reform takes place. A modernisation programme is in place for the first time-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Led by the old guard.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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-----and it is being monitored by an outside body. The first report regarding the implementation of that reform has already been published by the Policing Authority. I do not believe there is anyone in this House who does not have trust in the work done by Josephine Feehily and the Policing Authority. We set up the Policing Authority. We made those appointments to ensure there would be the kind of oversight to ensure that these issues emerged and that the Garda would be held publicly accountable instead of doing things in private. That is what I am committed to, namely, public accountability, procedures in place to ensure oversight, acting on the recommendations that come to me and the Government and ensuring that budgetary provision is made so that instead of people not having the management they need, not having the civilian staff in place and not having recruitment, that is all now in place. That is what this Government is doing, that is what the previous Government did and that is what the commitment is - to support members of An Garda Síochána to go about their daily work, to give them the resources to do so, and absolutely to have accountability and to call them to task when there is not accountability.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste's response is ironic. She talks of accountability but she resolutely refuses to take the first action of accountability, which is to hold the boss - the Commissioner - to account. She will not do that. Let me say, as a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, that we are well conversant with our role and our responsibilities. Let me reiterate: we will get to the bottom of all of this. Let me also tell the Tánaiste that we and, more importantly, the internal audit function of An Garda Síochána have already established the facts.

These facts, which are accepted by the Garda Commissioner, are that 50 bank accounts were opened by An Garda Síochána without the sanction of the Department of Justice and Equality, that An Garda Síochána entered illegally into land leasing arrangements and took the benefit of the revenues that accrued and that the Commissioner was advised of her obligation under section 41 to inform the Minister of the shenanigans in Templemore and refused that advice. These are not matters of contention but established facts. All of the Tánaiste's hot air about accountability amounts to very little. She is not serious about accountability because if she were, she would call Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan to account and relieve her of her duties.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy seems to think that calling people to account means asking them to resign. What I mean by accountability is having in place procedures and organisations, such as the Policing Authority, where there is that accountability. What I mean by accountability is that all of the facts are brought out into the public arena. The Garda Commissioner of the day does not hold office on the basis of political expediency. I am not free to decide the fate of a Garda Commissioner on the basis of a headline or expressions or confidence or otherwise by Members of the Oireachtas. There are very specific legal provisions in place in respect of these matters.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste is correct and those provisions enable her to act.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In fairness to Deputy O'Callaghan, he highlighted publicly the specific legal provisions relating to the tenure in office of the Garda Commissioner. My only concern is to have an effective and accountable police service which keeps our communities safe and preserves our national security, which is what gardaí do must do in their day-to-way work. They protect our communities. I have to support the actions that I believe will ensure the safety of our communities. That is what guides my decision-making.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste is failing in that.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I find the Tánaiste's strident response to the critical issues raised by other Deputies depressing. That there is a growing level of crisis in and about An Garda Síochána is undeniable. It is not conjecture or fanciful thought. Perhaps the most concerning development of recent days is the clear division opening up between senior civilian members and other members of An Garda Síochána. The intention behind civilianisation of An Garda Síochána and giving civilians senior roles was twofold, namely, to bring additional expertise that the Garda did not have into the heart of the force and to open up and change the closed culture that I, the Tánaiste and others know exists within the force.

In the past week, three senior civilian officers have sharply disagreed with the stance of senior Garda officers. Mr. Gurchand Singh, the civilian head of analysis, made clear to the Policing Authority that the report on mistakes in the homicide figures were not his work. He also made clear that he did not even get to read the report submitted to the Policing Authority, although he is the head of analysis. Mr. Niall Kelly, the civilian head of audit, told the Policing Authority that the review of breath test figures repeatedly referred to by the most senior members of An Garda Síochána as an audit could not be regarded as an audit and was not done by him. Then we had Mr. John Barrett, the civilian head of human resources, whose detailed recollection of meetings with the Commissioner regarding profoundly disturbing matters in Templemore clearly and flatly contradicted the assertion of the Garda Commissioner that their meeting was a short encounter over a cup of tea.

The leadership of An Garda Síochána is in crisis management mode or, more accurately, crisis reaction mode. It is staggering from one emergency to another. It is clear that the ability of the Garda and its leadership to respond effectively to the cascade of crises is bringing this matter to a critical mass. I am trying to use objective and dispassionate language. I do not want to apportion blame, let alone seek to blame all of this on one individual, namely, the Garda Commissioner. When the Commissioner was appointed, I hoped that she could bring about the fresh start the policing service required. I also want to use objective language because the law requires the Tánaiste, as Minister for Justice and Equality, to apply an objective test in this case. There has been much talk of whether the Tánaiste has confidence in the Garda Commissioner and barely a day goes by that she - or one of her colleagues - responds to that question.

There has been a learned but unnecessary intervention from the other side of the House claiming it is for the Tánaiste rather than the House to decide whether she has lost confidence in the Garda Commissioner. That intervention was unnecessary because it misses the essential point. Section 11 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 does not refer to whether anyone has confidence in the Commissioner but sets out a different, much simpler test in objective terms, that is, whether the continued role of the Garda Commissioner is in the best interests of the force. My question is very simple and the Tánaiste should apply that test now. Does she believe the continuation in office of the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána is in the best interests of the force?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy raised a number of issues, the first of which relates to civilians who work in An Garda Síochána. The Government is committed to increasing the number of civilians who hold senior posts in An Garda Síochána.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That was not the question.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I will come to the Deputy's question. It is absolutely essential that we have increasing civilianisation in An Garda Síochána and it is essential that those civilians have a constructive, positive working relationship with members of An Garda Síochána. I am absolutely committed to ensuring there are more civilians in the Garda. Part of the modernisation, renewal and change that is needed is to ensure this happens.

I am very aware of the issues that have emerged at the Committee of Public Accounts and in evidence before the Policing Authority regarding the differences between some civilian members. One of the issues the Deputy mentioned was addressed at the Policing Authority's most recent meeting in respect of one of the examples that he cited. Both of these issues are before the Policing Authority and Committee of Public Accounts because that is where the documentation Mr. Barrett supplied was given. This documentation has to be dealt with and I am sure it will be further explored. The committee will want to find out what other people have to say about it. I understand that it is not a minute of the meetings that were held but a personal note. It would be very helpful if there was a minute of the meeting that took place but I have no doubt the committee will examine that matter.

In the context of the Garda Commissioner and the ongoing work she is doing, she is implementing the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate's report. A range of initiatives and changes have taken place already. It is in the interests of the force that this work continues and that we, in this House, do everything to ensure it continues with the oversight bodies we have set up. That is the way forward and the right thing to do in terms of the public interest, An Garda Síochána and morale.

I would like to see less politicisation of these issues and the oversight bodies being allowed to get on with their work. I want to see the Committee of Public Accounts finishing its work on these issues. As I said, I will take very serious note of the findings of the committee when its report is published.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Every crisis, scandal and issue is carefully boxed off to an inquiry by GSOC or the Committee of Public Accounts - somewhere, anywhere - and things carry on. Every Member can clearly see that the best interests of An Garda Síochána are not served by the status quo. That the Tánaiste cannot see this is a matter of great concern. She and I have known each other for a long time and I believe her to be compassionate and a very capable politician. I ask sincerely that she does not make herself an obstacle to doing what the people and vast majority of Members believe is clearly the right and essential thing to do.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I will do what I believe is the right thing to do. That has been my guiding principle in politics - to support the right actions that need to be taken in my portfolio in the Department of Justice and Equality and the reform that we are committed to as a Government. The work that is being led by the Commissioner is important. The work being done by the oversight bodies needs to be supported. As a Government and a House, we need to continue giving the resources to the Garda that it was starved of, making it impossible for it to do its job-----

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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-----for six or seven years.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The question of resources is never an excuse for not doing a proper-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste without interruption, please.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am not suggesting that it is an excuse. Rather, some of the cultural and imbedded issues in terms of management that we are now seeing were not helped by a starvation of resources to An Garda Síochána. I ask the House to support the work of the oversight bodies. Deputies have said time and again that they do not want to see political interference in the work of An Garda Síochána. We have a proper and important job to do in terms of oversight and I have an important job to do in terms of policy.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Let us do it.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will recall, motions in the House some weeks ago were not passed, but we had a detailed discussion on the issues that he has raised.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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This House is convulsed by the proposed sacking of one individual, the Garda Commissioner, but I draw the Tánaiste's attention to the fact that a decision of Bord na Móna last week effectively sacked 122 workers in Tipperary. The decision of Bord na Móna's board of directors is having a major impact on the local community. We do not agree with the decision or the justification for it that has been put forward, but we have been told emphatically that the decision will not be changed and we must work with it.

It is in this spirit that, last Friday, we met the unions representing the workers at Littleton. As one would expect, it was a highly charged and, at times, emotional meeting. The five Tipperary Deputies attended the meeting and agreed to take a unified approach to the strategy to be employed. We requested a meeting with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, which was held yesterday. I thank him for being accessible and open and for showing a genuine concern for the plight of the workforce and community at Littleton.

During the meeting, we had a useful and constructive exchange of views on the actions required. We all came to the conclusion that there first needed to be a renegotiation of the redundancy package. Second, we requested an extension to the closure date of April 2018. Third, we asked that an alternative use for the remaining peat be examined. Fourth, we asked for a plan for the utilisation of the existing bog, plant and facilities.

A number of issues arise, one of which is the need to commence negotiations. I call on the management of Bord na Móna and the unions to enter into negotiations without preconditions on the understanding that the Minister and the board are not averse to the idea of holding discussions on redundancy packages and a time extension. I ask that the Government take responsibility in the matter, given that a cost would be involved in any time extension. That cost should be considered in the context of Bord na Móna's payment of a €10 million dividend to the State every year. It should be possible for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to reduce that amount by the cost, or €3 million, which should be set aside to ease the burden on the workforce at Littleton.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this important issue. I recognise the difficulty, stress and challenge posed by the recent decision for everyone involved. Having received the review conclusions, the company has begun a process of engagement with the group of unions and employees. It has also confirmed that no redundancies are being contemplated in the current year. That is an important point.

I note the Deputy's comments about my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Naughten. The Deputy accepts that the Minister is monitoring the situation closely and is acutely conscious of the decision's impact on Bord na Móna's employees. The Minister has urged Bord na Móna to consider all opportunities for redeployment, a phased reduction in employment numbers and any other renewable technology opportunity that may arise in respect of Bord na Móna investments.

As part of Bord na Móna's general strategy to move towards sustainable businesses based on renewable sources, pilot trials for the production of a biomass briquette have been conducted in the past 12 months. This is a significant investment by Bord na Móna, which has confirmed its plan to begin large-scale production of the briquette. It will soon seek planning and other approvals in that regard. This will be a critical step in future-proofing the fuels business, as it offers the potential of sustainable and quality regional employment.

The Minister held a series of meetings with the Bord na Móna group of unions and staff representatives as well as Tipperary's Deputies. He will continue with those discussions. He has called for engagement and imagination by all sides on devising a range of solutions and different outcomes for employees. I do not doubt that he will take on board the particular points that Deputy Lowry has raised, but Bord na Móna is a major employer across the middle of the country and is exploring new opportunities for growth, particularly in renewable energy. I hope that this will help the company not just keep current levels of employment, but grow it in a part of the country where, although there have been some successes, attracting foreign direct investment has traditionally been challenging.

The Minister will bring a memo to the Government soon on establishing a new semi-State entity, BioEnergy Ireland, which will focus on the development of the biomass sector and exploit those skills currently available to Bord na Móna and Coillte.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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Our first priority is to make the case for a time extension. A ready argument for this relates to the 260,000 tonnes of peat that are piled up at various points around the bog. The factory uses approximately 7,000 tonnes per week, which means that enough peat is available to keep the plant running for another 37 weeks. That should be possible, as should a third harvest.

The redundancy package for employees, especially those who are long serving and wish to exit the company, is not strong enough and needs to be renegotiated. One employee has 40 years of service and is 63 years of age. He would receive €31,200 in redundancy. This is a person who has given a lifetime of service, commitment and dedication to Bord na Móna. The package must be renegotiated. It includes a clause to the effect that, the longer one's service, the more one is penalised. The current agreement is not fair or just and needs to be re-examined. Will the Government play a part in ensuring that happens?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I recognise Deputy Lowry's concern for the individuals who are caught up in this situation. The Minister has stated that he is examining the recommendations of the unions, Deputy Lowry and other Deputies and is open to exploring a range of options. The suggestions that the Deputy is making today will be taken on board by the Minister.

Regarding redundancy, I expect the Minister will discuss the matter with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to examining the precise circumstances of the individuals involved. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, will be familiar with the matter, but it is one for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.