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

I welcome the officials from the Department. There is nothing like straight talk. Coming here today, they are on the back foot. I will explain what I mean by that. If we take, for instance, the way the Department dealt with ash dieback, when the independent review report was published in September 2023 it stated that ash dieback should be treated like a national emergency. It noted: "Speed and urgency is of the essence – to realise the value of the trees, restore trust and confidence and to reduce the risks associated with large numbers of dead and dying trees in the landscape." Almost four months later, we still waiting for implementation of the plan. This is not a rapid response.

I noticed earlier when the officials were giving their answers, the used terms such as "precautionary course", "immediate" and "very soon". Those words are coming from a Department whose response to ash dieback was slow and weak. There is also the fact that the reputation of the Department is in tatters. I do not mean to upset anybody, but my job is to come here to represent people and represent what is happening on the ground. At one time in Ireland, we were proud of the Department of forestry. That name changed and we moved on, and we were glad because farmers were encouraged to plant ground. People had confidence in the system and the Department. There were local foresters in different areas and a forestry network throughout the country that we were all proud of. We know that Ireland grows trees better than anywhere else. However, there is red tape, bureaucracy and Ministers with responsibility for forestry who do not listen and have no interest. We have senior officials in Departments who will not listen to public representatives like us or to people in the forestry sector or organisations such as the IFA. They are not listening. We have a Minister who will not sit down and meet with stakeholders and has to be dragged kicking and screaming to a table because they will not come of their own accord to meet people. Why?

Why is there such a disconnect between the people who are so important - the people on the ground who own land - and people in the Department who should be encouraging them to plant trees? They are doing absolutely nothing to instil confidence in the sector. The ash dieback experience and the way the Department dealt with it does not shroud its officials in glory. That is why people are so nervous today. It is why Deputy Flaherty asked the officials eight times to give a timeframe. He dragged an answer out of them for a finish when they said "very soon". The Deputy referred to the end of the month if that was necessary, and the officials agreed. He dragged it out of them. Eight times he asked the exact same question. I know they are not stupid or deaf but they made him ask the same question eight times.

I am very grateful that the IFA representatives are here and I am very thankful for the work Jason Fleming is doing on behalf of the forestry sector in Ireland but the Department is giving no hearing whatsoever and has actually been dismissive, in a polite way, of what the IFA has said. The IFA seeks a temporary suspension and the creation of a special task force.

Those present have invited us to inspect the timber coming in and to show us how the Department conducts its inspection. I am perfectly able to understand the procedure being used by the Department as I was told about it. I am not one bit impressed by the procedure and I am not one bit confident about it. Do I think the inspections, checks and balances will keep the bark beetle out? I do not. My experience of the Department gives me no confidence whatsoever in what it is doing. I would like the Department to somehow or other listen today.

I am a great believer in not looking backwards but looking forward. Even if the Department has lost the confidence and trust of farmers and the people in the whole forestry sector, it would be helpful, even at this late stage, if it started to listen. I say all that because the Department seems to be sleepwalking to the edge of a cliff and adopted a mindset of "sure if the beetle wants to come in then it will come in but we did our best and tried anyway." The Department has not listened. I would like a meaningful and clear response. I do not want a Department-type of a response but a human response to the two things I have mentioned.

What about a temporary suspension and establishment of a task force to ensure that we are not decimated altogether? Is there a total disregard for forestry in the Department? I ask that because of the figures. Let us consider the figures for the number of people in Ireland who are planting today versus five, ten, 15 or 20 years ago. I own a sizeable forestry, so I can talk about these matters. I gave many years to forestry and I still work in forestry, although one would not want to rely on such work now because it is getting fairly scarce. There was a time when we literally worked full time at nothing else but sodding, making roads and draining, and then when a forestry was cleared going back in and sodding it again. None of that work goes on now and the amount of planting is minuscule. I swear to God but if I were a senior person, or any person, working on forestry issues in the Department, I would be saying, "God, lads, what are we doing? Ye have lost it completely and the ship has sailed."