Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is making it more complicated. The Deputy is making it more awkward and more difficult for people. The Bill is about making it easier for people who want to get into forestry and use the land throughout the country to create jobs in rural Ireland. In my constituency and in Deputy Pringle's constituency hundreds of people are unemployed and they can get jobs through the development that will take place across the food industry and in forestry, through tree planting, tree maintenance, thinning and in the mills. There is export potential and it is good for the country. It is bringing money into the country and the industry is a long-term and sustainable one.

I take the point the Deputy is making about minding the environment but we must remember that the Bill is about trying to make it easier for people to get into forestry. They should use land lying idle in Donegal, Tipperary, Cork and Kerry. It could be used in a profitable way to create jobs for people in rural areas. I would like that to be understood. I understand the amendments and their objectives but the Bill is trying to make it easier and more advantageous for people to get involved in forestry.