Mr. Andrew St. Ledger:

There is a possible link with recommendation No. 2 and the resilience of public lands because Bord na Móna is also managing a public land resource. The re-generation of mixed birch and willow and all its woodlands has been a by-product of what Bord na Móna has been doing over the years. NewERA was set up to look into a merger of Coillte and Bord na Móna but I believe it was looking at large-scale, industrial applications which is the wrong way to go. We seem always to be thinking of huge scale, industrial processes. I am afraid that, if Bord na Móna is left to its own devices, it will be encouraged to do clear-felling of these sites for pellets as greenwashing and a pretence of supplying green energy. The way to go with that resource is to look at small-scale coppice management with trained local teams. The value of that resource could then be kept in local communities. It could provide alternative employment for people who were engaged in peat production.