Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

There are cases where trees have to be removed, but this Bill states the words “trees” and “groups of trees”. That does not mean in all circumstances that every tree is always protected. That is not the situation. Is the Minister of State telling us that under this Bill a tree will never be felled because of a development? Is it the case that if there is a tree standing in the middle of the site of a major project, the tree will be preserved and the entire project will be built around the tree? The Minister of State is not telling us that.