Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Mythen has sent his apologies. He is unable to attend this evening. I have a few questions before I open the discussion up to members. Is the lack of certification of private sector timber an issue in our mills acquiring timber from Scotland? The financial implications of the bark beetle getting into our plantations are too horrific to contemplate. Mr. Gorman spoke about ash dieback. We as a committee have given a lot of attention to the plight of owners of plantations with ash dieback. We share the IFA's disappointment that financial compensation has not come to them. We have given it a serious airing in the committee on a significant number of occasions. I cannot understand why we are importing timber. If the bark is taken off, can the beetle be in the tree itself and resurface when it comes into the country? If the tree is clean of bark, does that mean you are certain the beetle is not in it?