Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply but it is not what I wanted, nor does it reflect what the vast majority of farm organisations and people involved in the industry, certainly in the north west, want to see happen.

The Minister referred to a mid-term review. That should be postponed until such time as several issues are dealt with. One such issue concerns Coillte, the contracts and the associated problems. Another issue is ash dieback, which has not yet been resolved. Large sections of the north west - the land to which the Deputy McConalogue referred, which is usually land of natural constraint - are being taken over by a monoculture of Sitka spruce forestry. This is having an absolutely devastating effect on communities and farmers trying to buy adjacent land. These farmers may be competing with farmers from very far away who are buying the land to obtain carbon credits from forestry to offset against other activities. They are legitimately entitled to do this but, from the point of view of the people who live in the areas where the forests are being planted, it is devastating. The Government needs to halt the review, go back to the drawing board and come up with solutions. The existing solution is not working for the communities.

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