Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure if it is comprehended just how fundamental, structural and systemic the problem is. I fear that these guys will turn the Minister of State into the Minister for reports and reviews. I am struck by the Scottish experience, which was cited many times by a number of guests before the committee. In Scotland, James Mackinnon was appointed to research its forestry issues and make a report and recommendations. The Scottish authorities then took that report and implemented a number of the recommendations. That resulted in Scotland planting 11,000 ha last year. Apparently Scotland has an annual target of 15,000 ha for the coming years.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine also commissioned Mr. Mackinnon to carry out a report and make recommendations. After that, we got somebody else to carry out a report into his report and recommendations. That has established Project Woodland and the Minister of State tells us that the board has agreed to two recommendations. It is important that we look at those. The first recommendation is for a regulatory review and the second is for the prioritisation of a public consultation process. Those are not actions; they are further reviews and reports.

I want to deal with the project board and the four working groups. What role do the senior managers and officials of the forest services have with respect to those four working groups?