Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tréaslaím le Nick Henderson atá ceaptha mar phríomhfheidhmeannach ar Chomhairle Dídeanaithe na hÉireann. I congratulate Nick Henderson who has been appointed the new chief executive officer of the Irish Refugee Council. He was in the House earlier with his colleague, Maria Hennessy, to give us a briefing on the major issues surrounding the refugee crisis across the globe and the Irish response to it. The scenario they outlined shows that we are quite slow in our response. We must do a great deal more due to the scale of the crisis, so I would welcome a debate on those issues if possible.

Senator Humphreys mentioned a turf war. We are in for another turf war in Connemara if matters do not improve. There was an understanding regarding turf cutting and management plans being put in place for the blanket bogs. I understand there was a debate in the Dáil on the raised bogs issue and that there is a deal regarding 43 bogs which shall remain unnamed. For some strange reason we are not being told the names of the bogs on which a deal is being made. However, letters have been sent to turf cutters on blanket bogs in the Connemara area, who number hundreds of people, with regard to special protection areas. The turf cutters must have environmental impact statements undertaken on their bogs and make an appeal to have their lands and bogs de-designated. The issue is that the letters were sent last week and the deadline for confirming whether the turf cutters will appeal is next Friday.

I ask the Leader to intervene with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on this matter to see if an extension to the deadline can be given so people can fully assess what is being asked of them, who will pay for the environmental impact statements and why the situation has changed, given that they had an understanding that domestic turf cutters would not be affected by the changes being introduced. It is past time that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, came to the House to discuss issues relating to conservation and so forth. There was a meeting of the Joint Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs this morning but the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, failed to turn up, which was very disconcerting for the members of the committee. The Minister should be invited to the House to discuss some of these important issues. They affect Kerry as well, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.