Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is more familiar than I with all of the figures. Compared to the EU average of 30%, only 11% of Ireland is covered in trees, of which 49% is privately owned. The rate of native tree species is so low it is embarrassing. I am not here to say this. I am here to work with the Minister of State on the forestry strategy and the importance of it. All Deputies continually highlight the inadequate nature of what is happening, but we knew this from the Mackinnon report and beforehand. The Mackinnon report highlights it. O'Hara came in and said that we needed an implementation plan. We are beyond this. We have a biodiversity crisis and we have a climate emergency. We need urgent action. I welcome that the strategy will be published, but it is in 2022. When in 2022 will it be published? Is it January 2022?

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