Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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What does Mr. Delany think will be planted this year? From 2020 to the end of last year, the Department has not achieved one year’s worth of the targets. That is a damning statement for any Department. One year is 8,000 ha and it has not achieved that from 2020 to 2024. I accept that may be for different reasons, for example, new legislation was brought in and so on. However, down the road, the devil will bite us in the backside because we will not have planted what we were supposed to plant and in 20 years’ time, we will not have the offsetting with regard to what we need. What is the figure the Department thinks will be planted for this year? Will we reach 8,000 ha, despite the other figures of 5,000 ha and 2000 ha?