Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not talking about controlling prices. To say there is no connection between price and an adequate supply of timber, and to say that the State does not have a duty to ensure there will be an adequate supply of timber to meet the needs of the industry is extraordinary in view of Food Harvest 2020. Clearly, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine sees a role for the Department in increasing production and in ensuring there is enough produced to meet demand in the future. He has set targets of a 20% increase in the production of milk and so on. What I have set out in my amendment No. 21, paragraphs (p) and (q) is not very different from what is contained in Food Harvest 2020. The Minister of State may choose to misread my proposals to encourage competitive prices as a proposal to control the current price, when what I am trying to do is ensure the Minister creates the conditions to ensure there is enough timber for a competitive market. I am willing to amend my amendment and re-enter it on Report Stage. In the meantime I will press this amendment No. 21.