Mr. Brian Smyth:

The figures we have for Leitrim are not absolutely clear, but approximately 50% of the forest estate is owned by Coillte. Some 30,000 ha of forestry are planted. The average size for farmers from our estimation is 6.2 ha and that for the companies or investors is 22 ha. Of course, farmers only plant one plot and the investors have multiple plots and are proceeding to purchase more to build larger portfolios. The pressure on farm families from the state aid exemption is problematic. It is distorting the decisions farmers make, the entry of new farmers and the access to land both to lease and to purchase. The afforestation scheme is distorting the access to land. It is when the percentage of land reaches a certain limit acceptable to local people at least that the issues have arisen and the resistance to it has increased and is increasing all the time.

We identified all the issues here. There are issues for farmers and farming. There are very different types of forestry. A farmer planting some space is very different from a corporate drive to produce timber because farmers need a regular income over a long period rather than investing, sitting back and waiting for it to mature and provide a return on the investment. There is no real distinction in the afforestation programme between the goals of achieving quality net carbon sink or carbon sequestration as opposed to timber production. There needs to be a distinction on that. The system of support for farmers needs to be quite different from that for timber production because farmers are not necessarily timber producers. They are farmers and they want to farm. Young people want to get into farming, and they want to farm. Forestry is certainly a mix for many on the farm, but it is not the be all and end all. It should be possible for them to make decisions to plant that as part of providing a multi-source income. Rather than focusing necessarily on timber, they should have the option of doing it for biodiversity reasons or for long-term carbon goals.

We know the state aid exemption is distorting the market for land in Leitrim and distorting the decisions young people are making on whether to get into farming and how they can access land. It also generates other significant issues that are pointed out in the submission. The issue of farming and forestry is one issue. The licensing system is obviously problematic. We continue to address that in our observations and appeals. Regarding environmental impact statements and 30,000 acres planted in a drive to continue to plant, the advisory appeals committee has told us that there is no limit on any townland or parish. People can continue to plant as much as they want until it is all planted if necessary.

There is no consideration of the goals of local communities. If a parish wants to try to keep a school open, the goal is to limit the number of farms sold and planted so that people can actually live there. That goal is not accepted or reviewed in the process of afforestation licensing, which is problematic for many communities. There are many other goals such as keeping the village alive and keeping the shop open. The shop will only remain open when people remain in the place. The drive to plant in areas like ours in Leitrim, west Cavan, east Clare, north Kerry and Wicklow is driving people out and creating demographic decline beyond what would be expected in these rural areas.