Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his comments. I was Minister of State in the Department when the Bill went through Committee Stage in the Seanad. I acknowledge the significant amount of work Senator Higgins put into it. There were a large number of amendments. The Minister of State noted that five non-Government amendments were accepted by me at the time. It goes to show how generous I was as Minister of State, not that it did me any good.

This is an important Bill. The basis of it was not that we sought to reduce the footprint of NHAs or whatever; in fact, we were looking to increase it but, in doing so, to prioritise State-owned lands over private boglands. We know the very difficult job National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers had ten or so years ago in having to deal with, in some cases, confrontations and protests when they tried to enforce issues in regard to turf cutting. The Bill is a reasonable grasp at allowing for the continuation of turf cutting in those areas where there is already damage, while enforcing the State's obligation in regard to its land banks, as held by Bord na Móna and elsewhere. I wanted to put that summary on the record.

The approach to the Bill has been somewhat confusing. It was introduced in 2016, passed in the Dáil on 13 December 2018, and Second and Committee Stages in the Seanad were taken in 2019. Then the election happened and now we are back here again. The Bill has had a convoluted process and it is somewhat confusing dealing with the Seanad amendments, some of which were accepted in the Dáil, others not and some replaced, as well as there being Opposition amendments. It is worthwhile legislation and I support the Government's decision on amendments made.