Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am well aware of the many measures that have been introduced to aid businesses throughout the country to get back up and running. However, I will focus on one sector that was in crisis pre-Covid and will be essential to the country if we are serious about any post-Covid recovery, and that is, of course, the forestry sector.

The introduction of new forestry licensing procedures in 2019 has been a disaster and it brought the industry to a standstill. Presently, only one in four of the required licences needed for production is being issued and many other sectors that are wholly dependent on the forestry sector are coming to a standstill.

We have made much of our programme for Government and stated that we are determined to build our way out of the Covid crisis but the reality is that if we have not got timber, we will not do a great deal of building. Sawmills are now months, if not weeks, away from running out of timber unless this issue is addressed. From a purely partisan point of view, I want to battle for one of our own indigenous businesses, that is, Glennon Brothers, County Longford, which has been established and has been a familiar landmark in Longford town for over 100 years, now employs 250 people right across the country and has an international footprint. Brothers Mike and Pat Glennon have made a significant and detailed submission to the much-flawed Forestry Appeals Committee review, which is currently at consultation as part of the draft agriculture appeals (amendment) Bill 2020.

There are now 400 projects across the country in a quagmire in an appeal process that is evidently designed to bring this industry to a standstill. In one week, in August, orchestrated objectors challenged as many as 10,000 cu. m of timber - enough to build 5,000 homes in this country. Many of these objections are orchestrated and come from the same or similar sources, and their motivation is pure and simple. They want to bring this sector to a standstill and in doing so, put approximately 400 people out of work in the case of Glennon Brothers.

It is incumbent upon us to ensure that we bring the agriculture appeals (amendment) Bill to a speedy resolution. As I was coming into the Chamber this evening, I was delighted to meet the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who assured me that he will be bringing the Bill to the House next week. That is extremely welcome news for the forestry sector this evening. For the sake of Glennon Brothers, its staff and all the families, and, indeed, the peer companies which are dependent on the performance of this proud company, this is a crisis that we need to resolve.

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