Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 9 June 2021

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed)

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When we are talking about carbon, surely one of the main things we should do is encourage the people who are already contributing to the well-being of our society and environment. Take, for instance, the farmers involved in forestry.

There is no such thing as a system of carbon credits for those farmers. Take farmers who have existing hedgerows, groves or wooded areas that have traditionally been on their farms and which they are maintaining. There is no carbon credit system whatsoever for those farmers. The forestry industry is in a shambles at the moment because of the lack of felling licences, thinning licences and licences to make roads or to plant being issued. There is such chaos in the industry. There is a lack of confidence in the industry. Now, when people do not see the Government coming along and producing a meaningful carbon credit system, surely they feel let down.

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