Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Looking at the "Ear to the Ground" programme before Christmas, if I was in the private sector, I would be put off from planting or considering forestry and, unless the Department changes its messaging and does what needs to be done despite the huge problems and issues there, it will not encourage any private sector farmer to plant forestry. It must annoy somebody in the private sector when they see the licences of Coillte going through and it is highlighted in the witnesses' statement. If I was a private guy reading their statement today, I would be disgusted by the couple of lines it contains about Coillte. We depend on the private sector as well as Coillte.