Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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That is alarming in itself. We are meant to be going up in terms of forestry but we are declining from 12,000 to 8,000, a loss of between 30% and 50%. That is exceptionally disappointing for the sector.

On private forestry in Ireland, Mr. White clearly articulated how it is being strangled by bureaucracy. I understand what he means by that.

I support his call for a sworn inquiry. One of his asks is for a sworn legal inquiry into the ash dieback scandal to examine what went wrong and ultimately who is responsible. I think that is the big challenge in the whole issue of forestry. I support that and it is worthy of support. I also strongly support the review recommendation that there should be a greater sharing of the resulting effect of disease between the State and the forestry owners. That is valid.

Mr. White referred to strengthening the phyto-security process. Will he touch on the weaknesses of that process? That is where many of the problems are. How this was allowed into the country is a great scandal in itself and its policing. Will Mr. White share some of his understanding of how that happened?