The Fianna Fáil Deputy is citing a recent example in Offaly to justify his calls.
A midlands TD is calling for changes to the law to allow Bord na Móna to enter in to partnerships with the public over available lands.
Laois Offaly Fianna Fail Deputy Barry Cowen is citing an example in Ferbane where a community development association identified an area of land owned by the semi-state body that could return up to €400,000 a year to the community.
He says people in the region once gave their land up, there's now an opportunity for a gesture in kind: