Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In some parts of the country, forestry has become a dirty word. After dairying, it is the most profitable agricultural sector. Will agroforestry have a part to play in the future? How could it be sold as being mutually beneficial to some farmers in the east? There has been much negativity towards agroforestry in the west. In order for that balance to be created, should farmers in the east be able to buy into planting a certain amount of forestry in order to gain from an income and sequestration point of view?