Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Yes. I welcome the witnesses and I listened attentively when Dr. Ní Dhubháin said that the farmers who are planting forestry can be the champions of the future.

Mr. Hayes made numerous references to communication in his opening statement. The communications strategy must be put in place is key. I have rarely heard, when the benefits of forestry are being communicated, that forestry is the second most profitable agricultural enterprise after dairying. This story must be told around the country if we are going to get new producers into forestry. There is no doubt that the key driver of forestry in the future will be those people who are under pressure at the moment in their current enterprises. There has been a great deal of discussion, this year in particular, about the challenges facing the beef sector. The most profitable agricultural enterprises are dairying, forestry, tillage, sheep and, unfortunately, beef-suckler is at the bottom of the pile. A communication strategy in respect of that has to be developed.

Dr. Ní Dhubháin said the farmers who are planting forestry at the moment can be the champions of the future. Some of those so-called champions have been badly let down over the recent period. They have a negative story to tell about Coillte and the difficulties with farm partnerships. Last week, a delegation from Coillte appeared before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and they gave an update on the current position. Since then, I have received communications from a number of farm partners around the country who told me bad stories about the way they have been, and still are being, treated, unfortunately.

From the point of view of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, there is a very negative story about the ash dieback issue, which was mentioned by a number of witnesses earlier. The Department and State let down a number of farmers who saw forestry as a pension fund but their hard work has been wiped out as a result of ash dieback disease entering the country. For many years nothing has been done for these farmers and they feel very let down. If we are depending on them to be the champions of the future, which we should be, then we will find ourselves in great difficulty. How can we address these issues going forward?