Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On that point, can the Minister be more specific on the timeline and the prospects of getting a sufficient number of licences issued to ensure the industry is operating at capacity? As Deputy Cahill outlined, and all of us would have got feedback from many who are in the contracting sector in particular, they have had to stand down operations. The potential exists that people will have to be let go. There must be an urgent change to the number of licences being issued for felling and also in terms of the logjam arising in respect of planting. There seems to be a very serious situation in the sector, which is putting a massive amount of pressure on those who have invested in it in terms of contractors and also the sawmills. Recently, sawmills have been importing wood and raw material from Scotland to ensure they have a throughput to keep going but that option is not available to those working in the sector in planting or felling. A clear pathway needs to be put in place to ensure that the industry is operating at capacity and that we do not have redundancies in the sector. It appears to me that unless urgent is taken by the Minister and the Department, that will be the situation facing them. Can the Minister clarify his assessment of the position within the sector regarding the employment and the number of licences out there to keep the sector operating at its consistent standard in terms of employment and capacity?