Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is good to have the opportunity to talk on the Forestry Bill. The forestry industry is essential to the country and has massive potential to create extra jobs. Relative to some of the other things going on in the industry, what is covered in the Bill is basically moving the deckchairs around on the Titanic, sadly. We can move them around all we want but the Titanic is sinking. While the passengers might be sitting in a different place, it will not make any difference when they are drowning with water in their lungs.

As the Minister of State is aware, I, along with members of the industry, have been trying to get some sort of investigation into alleged weight volume irregularities at Coillte. By tomorrow this will have gone on for a year. I do not have much faith in the Fine Gael Party. I do not believe in much of what it stands for, nor do I believe much of what its members say. In line with what many people say about the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Deputy Coveney, I had some little bit of hope for him. That hope is fading is fast. I hope he will prove me wrong. I have been trying to get him to respond for a year. I thought I had cynicism beaten into me at this stage, but it has gone up another level. My scepticism about whether the State is acting in the best interests of the people has increased further.

Nearly a year ago I asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine if he was aware that Coillte had been defrauded by certain sawmills, if he was aware that by interfering in the sampling system used to quantify deliveries to sawmills the country was systematically defrauded, if he would direct an investigation into the facts of this fraud - alleged fraud - and if he would make a statement on the matter.

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