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

I thank the Senator for his questions because they are very interesting. First of all, on the facts, with regard to the setbacks, for the past 20 years, a 10 m setback has been obligatory for broadleaf and a 20 m setback for conifers has been place for 20-plus years. Anybody going nearer to our roadside than that is breaking those rules and is not operating within the Departmental guidelines. That is the first point.

With regard to the hedges and growth on the side of the roads, be it trees, ash dieback or whatever, I have to state again that is not actually a matter for this Department. That is not me coming in here and passing the buck. Believe it or not, it would be more for the Department of housing because local government comes under that Department. That is the Department that would have to address that. I and the officials in the Department of agriculture cannot actually deal with that issue.

The Senator made a statement that he is proud of Glennon Brothers. I too am very proud of Glennon Brothers, as I am very proud of all of our other people who are creating employment, taking our produce, turning it around and selling it. They are giving employment both locally, and in the case of Glennon Brothers, internationally also. I am extremely proud of what I saw when I visited the company, where I saw the safety measures and massive investment made in new computerised systems, new saws and new ways of dealing with all of the work it does. If we had more of those companies, we would be a better country. That is what I have to say about Glennon Brothers.

With regard to legislation and paying by weight, I have to be very clear on this. The price that is paid for timber is not something that I or the officials in the Department of agriculture can deal with. We cannot get involved in that. When we have been sitting down at meetings with stakeholders in the sector, I have heard this discussion going on. This is now with the wind blow task force. We attend regular meetings of the task force. That has been discussed with regard to optimising the value of the timber for the people who own it, who are the most important people of all - the farmers. The people from the different sectors should take that conversation out of Agriculture House and go across the road to Buswells Hotel or into some room somewhere else and discuss it because it is a matter for them to discuss. I cannot get involved. There is no such as legislating for the price of timber. To make a small, factual correction-----