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

We contacted and consulted with the Office of the Attorney General before any scheme was put in place. My officials have confirmed this.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh referred to the motion in the Dáil. I will implement it to the "t". I am open to meeting members of the TCCA at any time. I have no argument with them personally and appeared on national television with the TCCA chairman, Michael Fitzmaurice, on "Prime Time".

I get on very well on a personal level with Michael Fitzmaurice. Following my appointment, I travelled with him in a helicopter to look at all the bogs in Roscommon and Galway. I paid from my own pocket for my part of the journey. Indeed Deputies Flanagan and Naughten were with us, but there was no room for Deputy Feighan, so he had to drive around in his car.

I have had close contact with the TCCA and while I am in this job I will try to resolve this matter.

There is some confusion about national heritage areas, NHA. Senator Mark Daly referred to the commitment made by Deputy Frank Feighan on this. In the programme for Government, the Fine Gael Party made a commitment to review the natural heritage areas, NHAs, to see whether turf cutting can continue on a managed basis. The difference between special areas of conservation, SACs, and NHAs is that the NHAs were determined by national law, but the special areas of conservation were determined by European law transposed into national law. Obviously we have some flexibility, in consultation with Europe on NHAs. It is important that the consultants will come up with a solution. If NHAs were closed down totally, it would pose major challenges in the future.

It was very important that I had an opportunity to clarify the position of the motion that was agreed in the Dáil and other matters. The contributions from Members were positive and I listened attentively and have taken very good notes of the points made. If the spirit that has prevailed during our discussion in this House could prevail across the spectrum, we would find an all-party solution to this problem. We share our culture and heritage, which we appreciate and love, and our landscape. We have an obligation to future generations to ensure the landscape is passed on to them. That is an obligation on all of us. This is a critical part of our landscape that is unique and precious. What is happening is very important.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and Members for their attention.