Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 24 May 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Farm Partnerships with Coillte: Discussion

Mr. Donnacha Anhold:

That is not the issue I am here to talk about. I did not mention that in my opening address at all. It is not that I am here to talk about litigation. What I am here to talk about is engagement. As I have already mentioned, I was not referring to any of the farmers that are engaged in the litigation process. The witnesses here are farmers who have not engaged in arbitration, or have not done so yet. What we are talking about here is engagement. We cannot force somebody to talk to us or engage with us. Given that Coillte is a semi-State body, we are requesting that this committee asks Coillte to talk to and engage with the farmers to deal with the issues that are out there and to address that lack of communication and detail. That is what is being requested here. It is outside of-----