Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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I got five calls today from stakeholders in the forestry industry telling me to make sure I find out what date the forestry strategy will be accepted in Brussels. There are people whose livelihoods depend on this and some of them employ significant numbers of people. Given what the witnesses have said tonight, I will not even put the question because I know the answer will be even more depressing for people involved in the sector.

We have proposed the discussion be suspended but I want to put it on the record clearly that, as the Oireachtas committee with responsibility for the sector, we are very unhappy with where this is at and with the level of preparation to answer our questions. This is a strategy we were told would be ready a couple of weeks after 1 January. We have gone into the second half of the year with no end in sight.

We spent three hours this evening discussing nitrates, our battle on water quality and all about climate change. The forestry sector has a huge part to play in that and we are leaving it without a programme in place. It is not acceptable. The industry is vital to rural Ireland and has a huge part to play in the climate challenges we face. These issues should have been sorted before the programme ever went near Brussels. It should have been over and back in two to three weeks. It is incomprehensible that we have ourselves in this situation.

In the morning, I know the phone will be loud again with forestry people. There are people making decisions about their business and leaving the sector. People here sat with me in Tullamore and heard the contractor at the back of the room. He is one of many. They are making decisions about whether to stay in the sector or not. They want to stay in it and have invested hugely in it. They knew this was coming up and will be watching on television. They will be extremely worried going to their beds tonight.

I am taking Deputy Fitzmaurice’s proposal, seconded by Deputy Browne, and the secretariat will get the correspondence going tomorrow.