Mr. Jason Fitzgerald:

The problem with the National Parks and Wildlife Service appeals process is that it only allows people who want to de-designate their land to bring forward a case on the basis of scientific evidence. How can a farmer find scientific evidence to carry a case? Farmers cannot bring a case on economic grounds, or that they need to sell their land because a family member is very ill, or on the basis of any of the other reasons that one would consider reasonable. They can only do so on basis of scientific evidence. It is grand to say one can only appeal on the basis of scientific evidence, but if what was on offer on the first day was still on offer, no one would be appealing. People would be generally happy enough.

The county development plan was mentioned. Many farmers have approached the council for planning permission for the erection of wind turbines in areas adjacent to where wind turbines have been erected already in designated areas by the people operating in partnership with Coillte on Coillte owned land in these areas, but they have been bluntly turned down. They have been told they should not even apply. These farmers have very valuable land. It is important to make that point. It is not tillage or good grass ground, nor will they milk three cows to the hectare on it. However, it is very valuable ground from a forestry, natural capital and carbon sink point of view. Farmers cannot avail of the opportunities coming down the line in terms of solar panels and wind energy, yet they see people in the same designated area who are supposed to have the exact same restrictions applied being able to avail of them. It is very wrong. That is my point regarding the county development plan and what is happening in these designated areas. It is wrong that one group of people is treated one way and another group is treated completely differently. The forestry on the State land owned by Coillte exists there because the ground was planted prior to designation and, obviously, by law, it has to replant it. Those who have erected wind turbines seem to be able to develop their land, but that opportunity is not available to farmers in the designated areas.