Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I very much appreciate the witnesses appearing before us today. Coillte is a very reputable company and has carried out its work to the highest standards over the years. I know that because I worked and still work for it. I wish to declare that.

This is a very serious matter. This country does not have gold, diamonds or oil but we have a product - timber - that we cannot access and we cannot get licences. On my list today is one man in my constituency who applied for a licence seven years ago. He reared a large family and is looking for a licence to cut his timber. He has been waiting for seven years. There were several others going back to 2017, 2018 and 2019. Serious questions need to be asked of senior management in the Department.