Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have another two brief questions. When one looks at objections to felling licences in Leitrim and other places, although a lot of them came from that neck of the woods, the harm is done at that stage given that the trees are grown. Why do the witnesses think there were so many objections to the felling of the timber? The timber was grown. If it is grown, it is end timber. That is the first matter.

The Minister of State is appearing before the committee later. What is the witnesses' view of Ireland's targets? At present, they are looking to farmers even sowing an acre down the back or wherever under the eco-scheme. There is a big push for that, although what has gone on over the past few years in the Department has turned farmers against planting. What is the witnesses' view on that when they look at the figures in the carbon budgets that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is obsessed with and in the climate action plan?