Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am here as a constructive member of the Rural Independent Group, which has been constructive and has submitted some very good amendments. This all takes time. The amendments are based on the views of stakeholders from around the State. We did not make them up. They are based on what the people who operate sawmills, the contractors, foresters and farmers are telling us. We represent those people. That the Minister is not accepting any of the amendments is very worrying and concerning because he has a duty to listen and to represent the ordinary people of the State. Deputies come from all parts of the State and we have brought forward very constructive amendments based on what the stakeholders have informed us are the obstacles.

It is undemocratic and flies in the face of democracy for the Minister to refuse to accept any of these reasonable amendments. I fully support Deputy Fitzmaurice's amendment, which is very reasonable. We see timelines everywhere. Farmers are under pressure all the time to meet deadlines. Is it a case of one way traffic where the Department takes a heavy hand and tells people they have to meet deadlines but the Department can do as it pleases? That is the clear signal and message here, which is an absolute disgrace. We need to make sure there is a timeline built in to the legislation. This Bill does not instil confidence in anybody. Ordinary people viewing proceedings tonight will be shocked that a reasonable and basic request to include a timeline is being refused. We are hearing absolute nonsense, which does not justify that position. People are going to see through this tonight. The stakeholders who came to us from Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Offaly and Laois will see the messing that is going on. It has to stop. The Minister has a duty to represent the State. We have all been elected to do that. I ask him to review her decision on this reasonable amendment.

One of my constituents, Mr. John O'Connell of Glenasack forestry, made a number of important points in his submission to the Department on this Bill. I have no doubt it was discarded and thrown by the wayside. It appears the Department does not want to listen to anybody. The Minister and Minister of State need to listen to ordinary people. Mr. O'Connell has summarised very well the problems that exist, which emphasise the absolute necessity for a timeline for appeals. He has put forward reasons such as the ludicrous situation where Irish sawmills that export much of their produce are running out of raw material and will have to import timber to process, even though there are hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Irish timber being held up by appeals. It is beyond belief. Nobody would believe it. People in other countries must be asking what sort of a country Ireland is. We do not need to go too far to see countries that have efficient forestry systems, for example, Scotland and Germany.

Afforestation levels have dropped dramatically and the acreage of new planting this year is at levels not seen since the 1940s. Clearly, there is a problem. We need efficiency. Some forest owners are delaying construction of forest roads until clear felled and are not thinning their plantations, further eroding the supply of timber. Most importantly, landowner confidence in forestry as a viable enterprise is clearly non-existent. Many forest owners have stated they wish they had never become involved in the first place. Other landowners who were considering forestry as an option have been put off by their neighbours' experiences in dealing with the forestry services.

The considerable efforts of various Governments over the last four decades in promoting forestry are being lost here tonight. It is difficult to see how landowners will commit to planting new land or how the annual planting target of 8,000 ha under the climate action plan will be realised. The Minister needs to go back to the drawing board and be more constructive with us. We showed good faith and allowed the Bill to proceed in good faith, which was the right thing to do. The fact is that the Minister is closing every door that should be opened and incorporated in the Bill. We did not make up these amendments. They came from constituents and we represent rural constituents. I ask the Minister to do the same. He has a duty to represent constituents in rural Ireland.

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