Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak. I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, who is responsible for this area. I wish him well with this legislation. It is the first Bill he has brought before the House. His remit covers a broad spectrum within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I appreciate the level of engagement he has taken on, including in my constituency of Limerick, which borders the Minister of State's constituency of Tipperary South. The Minister of State comes from a rural background and has spent many years in the Dáil, which means he has a good grasp of the issues in areas like horticulture, food safety and forestry. I wish him well in dealing with those aspects of the Department's activities.

Consultation has been mentioned frequently during this debate. I have personal experience in this regard as I have met many people to discuss this issue. As late as last week, I discussed it with people who are actively engaged in creating real jobs in the real economy. Opposition Deputies who often rail about this are feeling a bit sore this week because of the Government's success in creating 58,000 real jobs in the real economy. It is not a good week for the Opposition to give out. The section of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that we are discussing is making a real contribution to the creation of those real jobs.

It is nobody's fault that the journey of this legislation through the House has inadvertently been delayed. I welcome the Minister of State's statement that there will be further opportunities for consultation with the industry. That is very important. The Minister of State will be aware that timber of the finest quality is produced in the eastern and western ends of my constituency. Some of the largest forested areas in the State are to be found in County Limerick. Having spoken to people who are working with landowners and farmers on afforestation, I know there are legitimate concerns. The Minister of State represents a rural constituency. Places like the beautiful Glen of Aherlow and the eastern slopes of the Galtee Mountains are in his back yard. There is a considerable amount of forestry in his constituency. Those who have spoken to him know he is open to consultation and I welcome that. I am glad that positive consultation will take place when the Bill is considered on Committee Stage.

This industry has been untapped in recent years. For too long, when trees were felled there was a temptation to view the material that was left after the timber was taken by the sawmill as a substandard waste material that should be left there. This was especially true in my area of west Limerick. Having spoken last week to a company in County Limerick, the Minister of State will know there is no such thing as waste forestry material anymore. It is important that absolutely everything can be used. It helps to build confidence among people who are looking at afforestation as an alternative land use.

The previous two speakers do not understand this issue because they represent urban constituencies. They spoke about the amount of forestry in Ireland before the Ice Age or after the Ice Age or something like that. They kind of bemoaned the fact that it is no longer the case that 99% of the country is covered in forestry. They seem to have forgotten that most land is in private ownership. Deputy Clare Daly might be anxious to cover everywhere with forestry. She is on a journey to make sure the gas does not come ashore, which would lead to more fuel poverty. She might be anxious to scatter trees all over the place. She has failed to acknowledge that this land is in private ownership. Much of it is agricultural land that is used to produce food. I know the Deputy is removed from rural Ireland and from the agricultural base that some of us represent.

When we talk about afforestation, it is important to recognise that most, if not all, of the land we are talking about is in private ownership. One should not talk about the achievement of afforestation targets unless one has spoken to landowners individually. One must recognise that some land is not suitable for forestry. Some land is more suitable for growing crops that can be used in food products. There is a need for a proper overall land management use policy that encompasses all of our land and encourages farmers and landowners to go in particular directions. That is a critical aspect of how we look at this issue, which I have discussed with the Minister of State at length.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is to the fore in building the capability of people to grow biomass materials, energy crops and forestry. It needs to engage in joined-up thinking with other Departments, especially the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, on how those materials are used. If we are going to have an overall policy on forestry, biomass materials and energy crops, we must ensure all Departments and State agencies can buy into it.

My constituency is fortunate to have the only strategic port in the west of Ireland. I refer to Foynes Port, which is a real testament to the development of the forestry industry. The industry has the potential to create many more jobs in the counties served by this harbour, which is used to export timber and timber products out of this country. I am sure other Deputies heard this morning's debate on "Morning Ireland" about the potential of those who grow Christmas trees. This lucrative export business, which is creating many jobs in the real economy, might not have been mentioned in this debate up to now. Perhaps Opposition speakers are not in favour of it.

I have spoken to the Minister of State about land use management plans, with particular reference to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He is aware that there are many special areas of conservation and Natura areas in west Limerick. Other Deputies have spoken about this aspect of the matter. We have a particular relationship with a bird - the hen harrier. I would like the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which is designing the second pillar of the new rural development programme, to sit down and look at this in an holistic way. There is no doubt that there is an element of frustration out there.

The three bodies I have mentioned need to bang heads together to ensure a more strategic long-term plan is put in place for the use of special protection areas. Much of the land I am talking about might have potential for forestry to be grown on it. Perhaps it could be used much better than it is being used at the moment. Equally, it might not have this potential. We need an overall plan. I am aware that a threat response plan is being currently considered by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the National Parks and Wildlife Service in respect of the hen harrier. I implore the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry to engage with his colleagues on this important issue.

I would like to mention two other aspects of this issue briefly. The two Deputies who spoke before me have left the Chamber. They might not understand this anyway. As a person who represents a part of the country where there is a great deal of forestry, I suggest that a greater level of engagement with local authorities is needed. The Minister of State will be aware that when trees are being felled and cultivation is taking place, many articulated lorries have to pass through small rural communities that are served by substandard roads. In some instances, this lends itself to damage being done. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine had a scheme in this respect in the past. If it could be enhanced, that would be great. The Minister of State is working with county councils as part of his efforts to achieve an overall level of afforestation. Perhaps he could provide direct financial assistance or grant aid to them so that they can repair the damage that is done to roads during the planting and harvesting processes. It would be very welcome if that could be considered.

The other aspect of this matter I want to discuss is its tourism and recreation potential. The Minister of State will be familiar with the Ballyhoura region of my county because it is not too far away from his local area. One of the finest forests in the country, in terms of mixing the commercial end of forestry with a tourism amenity, is located near Ardpatrick in that region. It has developed into a fantastic product. When the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport visited it recently, he was able to take a spin on one of the mountain bike trails. There is huge potential for rural-based initiatives which involve, for example, the production of biofuels, the creation of real jobs in tourism and the use of land in a credible way to develop an existing product.

I will go back to one of the original points I made.

We have a commitment under Food Harvest 2020 that we will become one of the largest milk and beef producers, and everything else. We need to be realistic in terms of our forestry targets. While we are exceptionally low at the moment, we must realise that not every acre in the country can be planted with forestry, nor should it. Some land is not suitable for it because it can be of much greater value to the overall economy by not planting trees on it. On the other hand, with some land that is being farmed at the moment it might be better if the farmer was encouraged to consider forestry as an alternative.

I welcome the tenet of the Bill. I wish the Minister of State well in the role he has taken on. I know that many previous speakers paid tribute to his predecessor in the Department. I know that at this time of year, in particular, we are all thinking of him.

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