Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government has stated that it will not sell off any strategic assets. I put it to the Minister that the monopolistic nature of this asset - and its importance in terms of tourism, the environment, farming and a large range of other considerations - makes it a strategic one. As the Minister is aware, I do not have much of an ideological position in respect of the State owning all manner of factors of production. However, there is a small number of the latter which any state should possess. For example, I am of the view that we should retain control over our water resources. There is no economic argument which trumps that. The same is true of our forests. That is why I signed up to the motion. I did not put my name to it for economic reasons. I do not care if the Government manages to sell the forests or the harvesting rights to them for €1 billion or €2 billion.

I discussed this matter with a Government Deputy a while back and he said to me, "Stephen, it is just a crop". To him it is just a crop and I accept that. However, it is not just a crop to me and the people I represent. I grew up walking the mountains of Wicklow. To the people of Wicklow, the national forests are not a crop - they are part of our identity and of who we are.

Listening to this debate is like listening to a debate on whether we should sell access to Achill Island. It is a preposterous debate that fundamentally misunderstands what the national forests mean to us. It is not an economic debate for the people of Wicklow and, I imagine, for people throughout the country.

I do not care if an international logging company gives us assurances that we, the people of Ireland, would still have access to the land under the trees. I do care that we would have to ask them for the assurance or for permission.

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