Mr. Pat Collins:

These contracts were signed in good faith but our experience is that these contracts are weighted on one side, that is, weighted in favour of Coillte. They were not weighted in favour of the farmer. If one looks at the lack of transparency and communication, they are weighted in favour of Coillte. Coillte is the dominant party here. As representatives of the IFA, we have seen contracts and there is nothing to suggest that it is a fair contract for the farmer. They signed the contracts but they signed them because they trusted Coillte. Coillte was the dominant and leading force in forestry in the State in the mid-1980s and into the 1990s. That is where the problem is. How do we get these contracts opened up, resolved or looked at? There are serious, significant issues here. There is a lack of transparency. There is no proper management and there is no engagement with the farmers in question. If one has a savings bond, one can go to any bank and ask how it is performing. That has not happened here. Coillte has not engaged in a very meaningful way with its partners. Coillte has never had a meeting where it has told its partners the forecasted growth rates of their forest. There never has been a proper, meaningful engagement with the contracts with any member that I have spoken to. I invite Mr. Sweetman to come in.