Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will make my point. We are here as a result of legitimate concerns raised in private about 630 partnership agreements. Some people have gone public with their concerns. What we have seen here in terms of communication is quite shocking. It seems that once the partnership agreements were signed, notwithstanding what the representatives of Coillte are trying to say to cover the cracks, they were put into a time capsule to be revisited when the State stopped paying people their premia after 20 years. That seems to be what is happening and why this is arising. Maybe they are nearing clearfell and people are wondering what is happening. The IFA has taken a very strong line on this. The methodologies used to calculate what people are entitled to is not clear. There appears to be unfairness in this. Coillte can tell us it was a commercial agreement and that it told people to get legal advice. We do not want to have to discuss the same issue again.

Based on what we have heard, I understand the lack of trust people have in the communication they have received from Coillte. Coillte has not denied it. Coillte has tried to explain its communications to us, for example the letter with "1993" at the bottom of it. One does not have to be a genius to think there is a big problem with the communication on the farm partnerships. I would like to think that going forward as people present themselves as they become aware of issues and look at their funds, they will be dealt with fairly by Coillte. I hope that from now on there will be proper communication. If there is not, representatives of Coillte will have to appear before the committee again and we will be more armed than we are now. That is how I look at it. We have a lot more to do. I expect Coillte to look after these people in a proper fashion.