Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

My final point on this is that I am happy to have this in writing, because I know that people have already responded.

My other point is a simple factual straight question. I raised this issue previously with Ms Donnelly when she spoke to us. My concern is that the climate action plan seems to suggest that many of the actions relating to forestry specifically might bear fruit in the post-2030 period but in order to incentivise activity provision could be made to account for the committed emissions savings in a shorter timeframe. I was very concerned about that and I looked at the letter sent by the council. This is something that the council had sent. Even though new trees would only have most of their sequestration potential after the period of 2030, in order to incentivise activity provision could be made in regulation to account for the committed removal in a shorter timeframe. I want to be very clear about this. One of the previous inputs that gave me some assurance today said that future forests planted now will not contribute to these carbon budgets but future budgets. Is there any suggestion with regard to the trees planted now that their future removals after 2030 would be counted in the 51% and the specific tonnage targets that we have for each of the next five year budgets? Perhaps I could get a clear answer on that.