Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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I also agree on forestry. I believe we need to ensure that, where possible, companies and investment funds are not competing against farmers. That is currently the case, and the Minister of State needs to revise the incentives on commercial taxation of the land and the product at the end of it.

He mentioned the forestry appeals committee. A forestry was recently approved in Ballycastle, County Mayo. This is again an area that has plenty of forest. This land is beside a GAA club. The entire community is against this proposal. All of the political representatives in the area are against this. There was an appeal to the forestry appeals committee, FAC. FAC just seems to meet with itself. I have the report here. No member of the community, the local council or the Mayo County Council planning side was invited to be party to the decision or to this appeals process. Will the Minister of State come to Ballycastle to meet the people? Will he meet the GAA club that lodged an objection and received no reply to that? This is an area close to the village and right beside the GAA club. We could be developing beautiful native species with a trail for the local community. That is the way we need to go. Will the Minister of State meet the people of Ballycastle about this?