Mr. Mark Carlin:

It is. In the world today, of the timber for construction and a host of other products, including pallets and fencing, 80% of the demand is for soft wood. Ireland is unlucky in one way in that it has a limited number of native soft woods, such as Scots Pine, juniper and yew, none of which are suitable for production. That is why we used imported and non-native spruces and pines in the first place. That is the long fibre we need as it has a fantastic strength to weight ratio and it grows quickly - three times quicker than in parts of Europe - and the faster the tree grows the more carbon dioxide it sequesters and then we can use that wood. It is incredibly important we have the right mix going forward and our native species are really important as well because they are a good long-term storer of carbon dioxide and they also have an important biodiversity and amenity value.

The Cathaoirleach has heard the phrase "right tree, right place, right objective" before, but the most important thing is to understand the right objective in the first place. If the objective is to produce wood, then it is spruces and pines you are looking for, and they are good for the climate as well. If the objective is more amenity, recreation and biodiversity, then we must look at the native species. With the climate challenges we have, even some of our native species will be under threat in terms of choosing species for the long term. In England, they are considering a move away from English oak because they have to do so due to challenges with climate change. It is a unique time for forestry and it has never been more important in what it can offer in wood, climate and nature and for people in recreation. There are also climate change challenges and we must understand what those changes are so we can have climate-fit forests for the future. We need all trees for all different reasons and that is the key.