Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

It is another contribution we have made to the global lexicon. It also demonstrates the historical, heritage and cultural importance of the matter and how it intersects with a defining moment in our history. Oliver Cromwell understood that as part of destroying resistance to the plantations, he had to fell the forests. This was to give the lands to the soldiers who fought with him but also as part of quelling resistance to his agenda. The imperative to protect our ancient woodlands is part of protecting what we were and are and what we hope to protect and maintain in terms of our culture and heritage. This is not just a nostalgic aspiration, although culture and heritage is not just about nostalgia but is critical. It is also very important in terms of the project of protecting, developing and improving sustainable forestry. The ancient woodlands are the seed banks of native Irish forestry species. If we do not protect these, we will lose the genetic foundations of Irish forestry.

One illustration of the consequences of disease is what happened in Gougane Barra recently, where a shocking decision was taken to cut down huge numbers of trees on the grounds that it was required to protect the trees from disease. We can discuss this later when we deal with the public consultation aspects of the Bill and the lack of sufficiently robust public consultation requirements regarding felling. I am informed by people who know more about these matters than I that there was no hard scientific proof of the existence of the disease. We can discuss it later. In so far as there has been some speculation as to how these diseases reach our trees and forests, a considerable belief exists that it is due to the fact that we are planting foreign, alien species that are not appropriate and make our forests more vulnerable to disease than they would be if we concentrated on native species that are perfectly suited to our climate and environment and that were, historically the trees of this country.

They are more resistant to disease and more resilient in the face of disease threats. If we fail to protect adequately the remnants and pockets of ancient woodlands, we threaten the genetic storehouse of the native species that are appropriate to Ireland and which we will need to expand if we are to move in a more sustainable direction in forestry should we become more vulnerable to diseases associated with imported species. That is another important reason we need a specific acknowledgement of the importance of ancient woodlands and specific management plans for those ancient woodlands that still exist. They exist in most other countries in Europe where there are specific management plans for them. Such plans do not exist here. We do not have specific plans to ensure the protection of our ancient woodlands. That is what these amendments call for.

I do not see why it poses any problem for the Government to accept these amendments. To do so would be in line with the priorities of many people in the country on the importance of our ancient woodlands. It would be in the interests of good and sustainable forest management as we move into the future. Those are the arguments. I hope the Minister of State will consider accepting the group of amendments.

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