Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Gabh mo leithscéal. Máire Ní Bhroin. I do not know where she lives or whatever, but there are some great and wise people out there, a lot wiser than me or Deputy Boyd Barrett. They used to lived in botháns in the hills without electricity and water but things have evolved, but they have evolved too far. I want the appeals system tied down. I want a finite time and date. Tá an Teachta Naughten ag gáire but it is a fact. They were wise people and they knew the land.

The Deputy then went to Iraq but I thought there was no oil under any of the forestry in the Knockmealdowns, the Galtees or the Comeragh mountains, in Tipperary anyway. There is oil under the ground in Iraq but we have plenty of water, mountain sheep, foxes and deer. There is no oil there. The Deputy went around the houses and had great latitude. I am not criticising the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in saying that.

However, we need to be sensible here. I always admire the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's contributions and I heard her earlier and agreed with her when she said we need the forestry bodies and all the relevant Departments dealing with this to be properly staffed and maintained with properly qualified people. Perhaps we should also bring in the likes of Máire Ní Bhroin, people who know the land, who have feeling or empathy for it, and who know the mountains and the areas. It is not because they went to college and got degrees in ecology and everything else that they know everything about the flora and fauna of the Knockmealdowns and Galtees. We cannot beat the learned experience of trying to live with the land and beating the beast of the mountain in snow, floods and everything else.

Forestry is very important. Tomorrow is "Tree Day", which has been observed by young people in schools over recent years. It is a wonderful part of education. Big companies have not looked after forests and we have heard about bad management. There are maps and designs. They have the roads well drained and the water came off the country roads, in fairness.

I will not delay any further. It is a long way from Iraq to the Knockmealdowns, Deputy Boyd Barrett, and it is a long way from Iraq to the Galtees. Cá bhfuil Máire Ní Bhroin? An bhfuil sí imithe? An bhfuil sí beo fós? Níl a fhios agam. We need common sense.

See this speech in context