Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

There is a theme on our side in these amendments. The theme on the side of the Minister of State is that he does not seem to see the need for the amendments. The people on behalf of whom we are proposing many of these amendments, who are very knowledgeable about forests, are very concerned about the lack of transparency, accountability, public participation and openness when it comes to this country's forestry sector and how it can be developed in the best and most sustainable way. It is unfortunate the Minister of State is taking this view. These amendments are trying to address a more generally worrying aspect of the Bill, which is the manner in which it centralises a great deal of power in the hands of the Minister, who will be responsible for fleshing out the details of the general priorities that are set out in this legislation. I find that somewhat worrying. A balance should be struck in the opposite way. We need to involve the public. This is true of planning and development generally. The public is the last to know. The people are given the minimum amount of information at the last minute. These amendments seek to redress the balance by providing that the stakeholders in this sector - non-governmental organisations and communities, etc. - must be involved. The purpose of this Bill should be to ensure that happens.