Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no conspiracy under way here. This is a positive, progressive measure. We want to get agreement for it to provide us with the legal basis to design a scheme to help to encourage this. In doing so, we will engage with all stakeholders and take all views on board. I would be happy to take the Deputy's and the committee's views on board and have a consultation with them about that? It will be a matter for the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and me to approve and come forward with but we will certainly do so and will engage with all ideas about this. We all want this to work. We want all ideas and creative suggestions to try to encourage this. It can be progressive and work well for farmers, the environment, the rural landscape and biodiversity. It would be a positive move. We want to engage and hear what the committee and anyone else have to say. We want to do it in an open manner that embraces all that and to ultimately put together a scheme which will work and be successful, which people will want to avail of, and which will see trees planted.