Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Hayes might come back to me on the number of ecologists in the different sections. He mentioned that there are a number of them within Coillte. Is that the reason Coillte is getting more applications through than are coming through for the private sector? I ask Mr. Hayes to have a look at that and come back to me on it.

What is the administrative cost to the Department in 2021 to achieve 2,300 ha? If Mr. Hayes does not have that information available to him today, he might come back to me or the committee on it.

I am conscious that other members are waiting to get in. The industry stakeholders have submitted a very detailed and costed proposal to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to help alleviate the ecology crisis. I have read the Mackinnon report. The industry stakeholder recommendation is also in the Mackinnon report. It is clear from the dashboard that committee members receive on a weekly basis that the current approach is not working and will not work. Has the Department and the witnesses as officials considered the proposal from the stakeholders and advised in the Mackinnon report? If so, is it proposed to implement it or leave it to one side? What is the plan in that regard?