Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware of the Sinn Féin policy document on forestry published last year. It was based on viewing forestry not only as a commercial enterprise, but as a way to ensure biodiversity and provide an amenity for communities. I have written to Coillte regarding Oldcourt woods at Garryduff in Rochestown. It is an area of considerable biodiversity in spite of its relatively small size. It is home to a variety of squirrels, including the increasingly rare red squirrel, as well as jays, rabbits, foxes and, possibly, badgers.

The proposal to clear-fell here is a huge concern to residents and has been likened to a scar, in part because of the last road that went through these woods, and it is something people do not want to see repeated. The road is unnecessary and the replacement of conifers with broadleaf trees can take place gradually. It is also important to note where this is. There has been enormous development in this area and the city has sprawled out to it, although it is 8 km from the city centre. There has been huge development. It is crucial to maintain an oasis of calm and tranquillity as our cities grow, particularly near areas where there are large populations. I note that Cork City Council on Monday night voted in favour of seeking that the woods be handed over to the city council as an amenity. I ask the Minister to intervene with Coillte to make it aware that he believes woodlands near urban areas are scarce resources to be cherished.

I wish to raise one other issue and I will give the Minister a chance to respond. There has been a lot of talk regarding Government formation and what that might mean for road projects. While I support increased investment in public transport, balanced regional development, particularly in the Munster region, needs certain key projects to go ahead. I would be concerned that projects such as the Dunkettle interchange or the M28 could be casualties. Can the Minister reassure me that such projects as these, which are provided for in the development plan, will go ahead?

I will make a final point on roads. An awful lot of the money that is spent on roads is not necessarily to do with cars. I can think of a project in my constituency, the L2455, which might not sound like much but is a multi-million euro project. It is all about ensuring that residents can walk outside of their homes from the estates they live in because currently they can only travel by car, given it is right at the edge of the city and people cannot get outside their estates in Lehenaghmore and Lehenaghbeg except by car. That is not acceptable. Road projects like that have to be protected.

In the time remaining I ask the Minister to respond on the issue of the woods and on whether he will intervene with Coillte and also in regard to protecting those projects outlined in the development plan.

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