Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Several people have suggested such an amnesty, with a licence granted automatically if an application has not been processed in a certain period. That would be illegal and deeply unjust to the process. Unfortunately it cannot be done. The Deputy referred to exemptions for thinning and forest roads. This would depend on where the forest road goes. That is why there is a licensing process. The same applies to thinning. Thinning a commercial forest can have an impact on the environment. That is why a licensing regime is necessary.

I have indicated that I intend to make an announcement on the Mackinnon report. I hope to name an independent chair in a matter of days. We will work through the recommendations of the Mackinnon report. I hope to work closely with the chair to decide on the best way to implement the report. There are a lot of good points in it. I look forward to that.