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

It was accepted across all sectors of the community in the countryside, including by forest owners, people working for Coillte and people using Coillte facilities for walking or other recreational purposes. We are engaged in an evaluation process to see what NewERA comes up with. As I said earlier, it would not be right to introduce provisions in legislation when decisions have not been made. This is about forestry, forest practice and encouraging people, particularly in the private sector. A significant amount of consultation took place on the Bill and the private forest owners were actively engaged in it. To fulfil the potential of this sector and deliver jobs we need to involve the private sector. The Bill is about dealing with underutilised land. I know Coillte will be used to the taxpayers' best benefit and we will come to an agreement that will be amenable to everyone.