Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his presentation. There are whitethorn and other types of trees on farms throughout the country. Not one of them is allowed for sequestration. Why has Government not made some move on that? Years ago, large numbers of trees were planted on raised bogs. Those trees would not take root properly because of the prevailing winds. However, but there is still an obligation on people to replant the forestry on those raised bogs. This seems to fly in the face of what the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment is saying.

We see accredited companies come in to plant trees and build the mounds - the whole job - and then look after everything during a stabilisation period of three years. If there are problems afterwards, however, the companies have ridden off into the sunset. Are there any clauses the Department can use to make them more accountable?

I agree with Deputies Kenny and Cahill about the carbon credits. Grants and tax breaks were given in respect of forestry because the Government could not get people to grow trees. It is not stated anywhere in the document who owns the carbon credits and there is no clause to indicate that the Government has them. I would like a response in that regard.

We have dealt with a few cases in which a forestry zone that had not changed for ten or 12 years was reduced on foot of a satellite adjustment or reassessment, and clawbacks were made as a result. I am a contractor. If a fellow paid me 12 years ago to mow an 11-acre field, and it ended up that it was a 10.5-acre field, he would not be getting any money back. If our positions were reversed, I would not be getting any money back. I do not know how a clawback can be made up to 12 years later.

Has the Department considered the number of designations in a county? There is a lot of talk about County Leitrim, but this is not about one county. Could we look at the extent to which rivers and lakes throughout the country have been designated in order to discover what percentage of each county is in a designated area?

Deputy Cahill was right to point out that Coillte has not covered itself in glory. The way it has handled contracts has left a bad taste in the mouth for many farmers. Is the Minister of State disappointed about that? Has the Department done anything to give a bit of a boot to what it is doing?

When we were young - it is a while ago - there was a shelter belt of 50 or 80 trees in every field. On a bad day, we would see cattle in around the shelter belt. Some sort of innovative idea is needed to encourage the planting of 50 trees here and 100 trees there. I am not saying that a particular species of tree should be favoured. If one could claim for an acre every time one planted 1,000 trees, even if they were along the ditch or up on the ditch, one could gain ground. This was done years ago. We cut them in the 1980s and 1990s when the EU gave grants to knock every ditch in the place and take every tree out of it. Why is there no innovative thinking to ensure that tree planting is not confined to a corner of a farm or a single field?

I would like to caution the Minister of State in one respect. He mentioned rivers. That would take up a fairly large area. When trees are being planted along a river, there is a need to ensure space is provided in order that the river can be cleaned. Trees should be planted outside the space needed to allow a machine to go along by the river. I would caution those involved to remember that trees take up space.

There is a problem with trees that were planted without any grant being drawn on them. It is not the Department's fault. Some of these trees are nearly coming into people's houses from the adjoining lands. Nothing can be done, to be quite honest about it. Many people are finding that their light is being blocked out. Setback distances are crucial. Many people who have forestry adjacent to their houses have a genuine fear that they will be in trouble if a fire ever breaks out. They are not being alarmist. There should be no doubt that there will be forestry around Ireland. People are not against it. I know the Minister of State is trying to do this differently by bringing in broadleaf trees, etc. If we do not address the problems that exist, people will not come on board. I ask the Minister of State to respond to the questions I have asked.