Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with colleagues in extending good wishes to everybody for 2014 and to particularly wish our colleague Senator Jimmy Harte well. I hope the positive newspaper reports we saw recently will be borne out and that he will soon be back with us.

I strongly support the call for an urgent debate on flooding.

Many counties, including parts of my county of Galway, have been seriously hit. We need a full debate on all aspects of flooding and how we can compensate people who have been seriously affected.

I strongly support the call made by Senator Noone for an urgent debate on obesity. I agree that the public consultation structure is the ideal way to deal with this. At the beginning of each year, we all make new year resolutions. Many individuals and communities are doing great work in tackling obesity, but we need to start work in our schools to highlight the issue. Public consultation would be the way to go.

I welcome the publication today of the long-term strategic plan for Ireland's peatlands. For the first time, it sets out a long-term vision for the protection of a sample of Ireland's unique bog habitats and recognises the range of uses of peatlands, including turf cutting. The natural heritage area raised bog network will be reconfigured to avoid an impact on 80% of turfcutters. I am particularly pleased that out of 1,263 active plots in category 2 sites in county Galway, just over 100 will be affected.