Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Yes, and I am sure I get the same representations as many members do. Perhaps I get even more, given the position I hold. I agree that there is an issue with confidence in planting on the part of farmers. There is pressure on farmers, not only because of the licence issues but also because of other land use considerations. The desire to plant forestry is not as strong as it should be. I recently met the Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the Finnish ambassador to Ireland. Finland has a totally different attitude towards forestry. In Finland you are not considered a farmer unless you have trees. It will be a slow process to regain confidence in planting among our farmers but that is what we need to do.