Mr. Thomas Cooney:

I shall respond to the question on forestry. There is an urgent need within Government to review the existing forestry regulations as they limit planting on unenclosed land. More than 180,000 hectares of unenclosed land are not designated. If the same rules that apply in Scotland were applied here that land could be planted. The measure would go a long way towards addressing our shortcomings in forestry because the forestry rate for this year was a little more than 4,000 hectares but the target was 10,000 hectares. If the restriction was lifted there is a potential to plant 180,000 hectares.

In terms of Food Wise 2025, it does not address farm level profitability. Farmers all around the country have raised that issue with the IFA.

Carbon tax makes sense only if there is an alternative. Most farmers use jeeps and tractors on their farms. There is no such thing as an electricity powered jeep or tractor. Until there is an alternative it does not make sense to impose more carbon taxes. As was said earlier, every €5 a tonne increase in carbon tax takes another €8 million out of agriculture and the current carbon tax takes €30 million. There is no alternative at the moment.