Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the officials who have come in to speak to us. I am sure they have heard what the IFA's ask was before them. I accept that they say they feel they have sufficient safeguards in place, but given the concerns within the industry and the farming community, particularly in the context of ash dieback, would the witnesses think there is a need to respond to their request for a review of the protocols that are in place? What safeguards are there to robustly check what we have in place and if there are any deficiencies or shortcomings? It may be a case there are not. They have also asked for a short-term ban on importation while such a review is under way. It is probably sufficient if the review is put in place, and then we can, if needs be, look at a ban. However, based on the volume Mr. Dunne said is coming in, the number of loads and how often they have to be inspected, a review is important and I think it would be remiss of us as a committee if we did not ask for that review. It would be remiss of the Department not to do that review and safeguard the integrity of the sector. Will Mr. Delany respond to that?