Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting that the Minister is at direct odds with the Irish Exporters Association which takes a very different view. It sees Coillte and its harvesting rights as deeply strategic. He is at odds with many outside consultancy papers which were considered by him and his delegation, and which drove the decision by Government to back off Coillte. It strikes me as very odd that at this juncture, having backed away from Coillte, that the Minister could not at least acknowledge the strategic importance of harvesting rights and trees.