Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It will be brief and sweet. Looking at the monitor, I would say there will be a vote in the Dáil shortly. I thank Ms Hurley and Mr. Carlin for their comprehensive presentation and the clarity of their message. Clearly, they are enthused and keen to get on with the job. We are all conscious that Coillte deals with planting, growing, protecting, managing, harvesting and replanting forestry, which is critically important. Will the witnesses share their view of the licensing system and the various stages in it? As the witnesses said, Coillte has about 50% of forestry and the rest is made up of smaller entities and the private sector. Coillte will be familiar with an organisation called the Social, Economic, Environmental Forestry Association, SEEFA, which has been before the committee. There is a view that the Department treats Coillte more favourably. We have seen the statistics on licensing and so on and the way licensing applications are processed and dealt with. I do not know if that is a reflection on how the applications are prepared. I will not make that call because I simply do not know. Will the witnesses touch on the functioning of the licensing system and how it can be improved?