Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge Senator Daly's input into forestry, particularly in the Seanad. I reassure him that we have turned the corner. That €1.3 billion is there. From engagement with Teagasc and others, unprecedented interest is being shown. Farmers are contacting Teagasc advisers asking what this forestry gig is about, what they can do, how they can plan and how to get into it. We have opened the programme itself and the types of schemes available. We have new schemes that are interesting to farmers, such as agroforestry for example. In fact, if an organic farmer and plants agroforestry, they can retain their organic payment on it as well. There is a lot there to take in, and there is a lot there for farmers to go through and talk to foresters about. The interest is there but I accept the concerns that people have raised in recent weeks. Hopefully we have been able to allay some of those and then we can move on. This second half of the Government's term is about delivery and implementation.