Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 15, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “(i) shall on an annual basis lay a report before Dáil Éireann on the level of afforestation per Local Electoral Area, the level of which is broadleaf, and as to how this aligns with government policy and objectives,”

I thank the Minister for being here. I will take a moment to reflect on the situation in which we found ourselves in that we were dealing with legislation on the banning of mink fur farms and at a late stage, on Committee Stage, what was essentially entirely new legislation on tree-planting and forestry schemes was added. Both elements of this legislation, in principle, are absolutely supported by Sinn Féin, as the Minister knows, but there were peculiarities. With regard to the issue of small-scale afforestation scheme, in particular, which we had long called for, it would have been beneficial had we had the benefit of a longer lead-in time to discuss and outline the nature of how that would look.

With regard to the first aspect of the scheme, I acknowledge my disappointment we were not a position to find the route by which we could provide greater compensation supports to those workers who will lose their jobs on the farms affected. There have been discussions and many debates and we have articulated them well with regard to the compensation for farm owners, but especially with regard to the workers. This is a unique situation in that this House, tonight, will vote to essentially close down a sector and put people out of work. It is highly unusual for that to happen. It is not fair in those instances that the workers who are affected will simply get their statutory redundancy and no more, nor is it fair to simply say the companies can look after them, because the companies are essentially going out of business, as well.

Report Stage is the first time these amendments have been tabled and I hope the Minister will come at them in a positive light. The first amendment relates to the broader issue of afforestation. I have often said that a forest should be a place beside which people wanted to live. A forest should be something communities embrace and that enhances communities.

In too many areas, that has not been the experience, because of blanket planting of one species, Sitka spruce, with little consultation with local communities and the investors often responsible for that not being from the local area and being motivated primarily by profit. We want to see the level of afforestation throughout this country increase, which the Minister knows, but we also want to see an increase in the level of community support and a fair balance in afforestation.

This amendment is simply asking that the Dáil would resolve that the Minister of the day bring an annual report before the House detailing the levels of afforestation. This would not be just at a State-wide level but at a local electoral area, LEA, level and would outline the percentage of that afforestation that is native broadleaf and provide a report on how that aligns with Government policies and objectives. This is a very progressive amendment. It does not add any additional costs. It simply ensures this Dáil is kept apprised of what is a crucial element of not only our rural development policy but also fulfilling our climate action obligations. Crucially, it will allow different local communities to have first-hand knowledge of how their areas are being affected with respect not only to the level of afforestation taking place but also its type.

As I put forward this amendment, it would be remiss of me to not talk about the experiences that have been relayed to us by communities, especially those in Leitrim. There is a very particular issue in that county whereby rather than a forest being something people want to live beside, afforestation has become something that epitomises a negative experience. We must learn from that and from the stories we are being told by the people in those communities. There are parts of other counties where similar stories are being told. Now 19% of County Leitrim is covered in forestry and 13% of it by one type of tree, namely, Sitka spruce. Clearly we do not have a balance and the balance is not right yet in terms of the level and location of afforestation. This amendment is asking the Minister to do nothing other than bring a report before this House. However, it would send a very strong and progressive signal on the Minister's part if he were to adopt that. It would allow us to ensure we have a proper and continuous audit of our forestry stock so we can look to dramatically increase afforestation across the country in the coming years but also that we do so in a balanced way that is beneficial to all communities.

See this speech in context