Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State was asked this question an hour ago but I have to be blunt; she gave a watery answer.

I would like for the Minister of State to give a firm, strong answer. At a previous meeting of this committee, members asked that the Minister of State meet the Social, Economic, Environmental Forestry Association, SEEFA. I am disappointed to see that she has still not met this group, which represents a large element of the private forestry sector. Will the Minister of State assure the committee that she will respond to SEEFA and arrange to meet it as soon as possible? If not, why not? The Minister of State came before the committee and was asked whether she would meet it. I do not want to say she gave an assurance that she would but she gave an impression that she would. She was asked a while ago by a Deputy whether she would meet it and, as I say, she gave a watery response.

I ask for a straight answer to a straight question. Will the Minister of State meet SEEFA as soon as it is practically possible for her to put it in her diary? If she will not, why not? Just give us a straight answer. Do not mislead SEEFA here this evening. Just tell it that she will meet it within a reasonable timeframe, or else that she will not meet with it. Just tell us that she will not and why she will not. What has she got against that organisation? It works on behalf of landowners, foresters and farmers. It represents real people. To me, it is the Minister of State's job to meet it but it is up to the Minister of State to answer.