Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that he will be short and concise and there is a need for engagement. It is a pity that both the Minister and Minister of State did not engage with the committee. Since this committee was formed, about 85% of its business has been taken up with forestry. The Minister and the Minister of State have gone behind the back of the committee, as far as I am concerned, and supported this arrangement between Coillte and Gresham House. Like Coillte, the Department aims to create 100,000 ha of new forest by 2050. Under the deal, according to the Minister, roughly 3,500 ha will be planted over a five-year period. This means approximately 700 ha will be purchased and planted each year. That is bull. If investment companies are being brought into any sector, they are in it to make profit for their shareholders. Make no mistake; they will drive up the price of land and drive out foresters and small farmers. We will be left with investment companies getting the grants, taking the money out of this country to the benefit of nobody. It is not good for this country or the sector. It is good for nothing. We have heard that from foresters and farmers, yet the Department seems determined to push this through. People from throughout the State who contact us cannot believe the approach that has been taken by the Minister and Minister of State to the acquisition of land and the use of public money, knowing where that public money will finish up.

The Minister's tactic supported this deal to outsource to investment funds our afforestation targets and the role forestry can play in climate action. He is asking people to believe this story he is putting out. People are not fools. They have seen through this. I have no doubt that other speakers will also state that they hear exactly the same thing in the phone calls they get. People are absolutely sick of it. Essentially, this deal allows a UK investment fund to purchase thousands of hectares of farmland while being subsidised by the Irish taxpayer.

I can go back to charts. We talk about bringing people in and helping them. In 2001, we had 15,147 licences. Two years ago, as a result of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael policies, that figure had been driven down to 2,434 licences. The Minister states he is encouraging people back into forestry. Licence numbers are only one fifth of what they were. In 2011, we had 6,500 licences and the figure has dropped every year since. Why are we going back there? In 2001 we had 15,147 licences, in 2002 we had 14,735 and in 2020 we had 2,434. I do not know why they were planting at such a rate at that stage when there was no reason to rely on private investors and probably Coillte. Between our foresters and small farmers, we were at that high level and had enough timber. Policies from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments down the years have brought us to where we are.

I would also like to hear about any involvement either the Minister or the Minister of State had and what knowledge the Department had of the arrangement when it was first proposed. How did they become aware of it? Did the Department give advice to Coillte on the arrangement it is proposing with Gresham House? Was that advice sought from the Department by Coillte? Have the Minister or Minister of State had any engagement with Coillte since it hatched its plan with Gresham House?

Does the Department believe that in the case of a deal of this nature it would be worth consulting the farmers who are likely to be impacted most? Macra na Feirme has rightly raised concerns about the effect that land going to investment funds will have on the generational renewal it seeks? I will leave it at that and contribute again later.