Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to the Chairman for allowing this opportunity.

The fact that we have 12,000 jobs on the line because of this fiasco is nothing short of a national embarrassment. We are importing timber. One organisation has called that a national embarrassment but the entire lot from start to finish is an embarrassment. We have an opportunity now to get this right. I will say it straight out, and I said it in the Chamber during the discussion on the legislation, the forestry Bill could have gone much further. It could have closed a loophole in terms of the relevant person piece that was in the draft legislation but subsequently taken out of the forestry Bill. I firmly believe that had that been left in we would not have a situation where people who live 200 to 300 miles away from an area can continue to object. I would like to hear Mr. Gowran's views on that particular point.

He mentioned the water framework directive and suggested that that is slowing down the screening and assessment process within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My understanding, however, from engaging with a number of experts involved in forestry is that there is a lack of expertise in that Department to move on these applications, licences and appeals quickly. There is a problem in terms of the appeals process and a lack of expertise. What is Mr. Gowran's view on that? Does he believe we need to recruit more people with expertise in forestry related matters? I am hearing that there is a need in that regard.

We have to act quickly on this. We have to be pragmatic and ensure we get this right from start to finish. There is a need for a strong forestry policy because we have not had one but we must ensure that that forestry policy is not aspirational. We have to ensure that it does justice to the industry and that it protects jobs. We must also make sure that we are meeting climate action targets but because forestry is in the mess it is in today we will not meet climate action targets and we will see job losses. We have seen job losses. I know of sawmills that have been ground to a halt. I know of timber harvesting companies that are absolutely struggling. It has been said to me by contractors, hauliers and sawmills, that they cannot see themselves continuing beyond Christmas.

We have to take urgent action and that urgent action should start in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure that the right people with the right expertise are put in to do the screening and to ensure that the process moves quickly. We have to protect this industry. It is a very important industry in Ireland and we need to do everything in our power to protect those jobs, and the industry.