Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is shameful that while Ireland's polluting emissions have been rocketing upwards for years, the Government knowingly failed to put an adequate climate strategy in place, including any sort of effective strategy on forestry. Effective afforestation is important not just for climate action, but also for climate resilience. In terms of preventing erosion and land degradation, the severe impacts of climate change on land simply cannot be overstated, as most recently clarified by the IPCC.

We also have to remember that forestry offers major benefits for tourism, biodiversity and water quality. Fianna Fáil has led the way in this regard, with ambitious planting provided for under the 2007-13 national development plan. More recently, we have been clear that the Government should support new income streams for farmers and planting native Irish trees is one such approach that would make considerable sense on many farms from climate, biodiversity and economic perspectives.

The joint committee report noted that there are problems with the planting and clear felling of Sitka spruce plantations and responded to the Citizens' Assembly recommendation that supports for afforestation be reviewed. We, therefore, called for a reformed national forestry policy that will provide strong incentives over the long term for the planting of native broadly broadleaf species.

We also noted that there has been opposition in areas where there have been high planting rates and, therefore, the committee made it clear that community development and engagement must be a key component of afforestation policy. It is essential that the new forestry programme rectifies the failure to meet national targets and incorporates the committee's recommendations. Current afforestation rates are only 4,000 ha per year. The Government is significantly behind its Food Wise 2025 afforestation targets and we have no clarity on how it will reach its latest target of 10,000 ha per year by 2030. The climate advisory committee recently emphasised the serious challenges of reaching this target based on current trends.

I am deeply concerned by recent reports that the staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre have only three months left on their contracts, with no assurance of extensions. This is a clear example of the Government's deprioritisation of environmental action and I hope it is something to which the Government will respond as quickly as possible. Ultimately, sustainable forestry, backed by State leadership and community engagement, is a no-brainer. We have the tools to transform the forestry sector and put it at the forefront of action on climate change and biodiversity protection. While we are talking about afforestation in Ireland today, we have to be mindful of the direction the House gave in July regarding the events in Brazil and the potential impact of the Mercosur agreement.

We need an analysis of the potential environmental impact of that deal which should be backed by rigorous enforcement of international obligations under the Paris Agreement and an end to deforestation in the Amazon.

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