Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what the Minister of State said towards the end of his reply but 374 ha of native woodland will not have a significant impact in terms of producing more high-value nature areas or bringing any great biodiversity, etc. While I welcome the 374 ha of new woodland, it is of minuscule impact when considered in terms of the entire country. The Department is basically excluding huge swathes of land that is not very productive in terms of sheep, cattle or other farming but must be put to some use because land that is allowed to grow wild is a disaster from an environmental point of view, as the Minister of State, as an upland farmer, is aware. The current rules are akin to stating that it would not be permitted to use such land for sheep or cattle because there would not be a high yield class. Much of this land could be used for native woodland. Obviously, the farmer would not get a massive economic return but many farmers in such circumstances are not expecting that. However, they need to get enough of a premium to make it valuable to plant these woodlands for the very reasons outlined in the Minister of State's very articulate reply. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider the scheme in the context of the areas of the country which are now excluded from any forestry. Special areas of conservation, SACs, and natural heritage areas almost completely excluded from forestry. However, many other areas are now excluded because they do not have a sufficiently high yield class. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider the scheme and recognise that disadvantaged areas require special measures.

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