Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Members for their opening contributions on the first amendment to the Bill tonight. The purpose of this legislation is to prohibit fur farming in Ireland, provide for a compensation scheme for the farmers affected and introduce other miscellaneous amendments to the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. The legislation also introduces some unrelated but important amendments to the Forestry Act 2014. These amendments will confer a regulation making power on the Minister to make regulations to facilitate small-scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence. This amendment is just one of a number of measures that will assist the State successfully transition to a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economy.

This Bill has progressed through Committee Stage and we are now dealing with Report Stage. No amendments were received regarding the provisions of this legislation to prohibit fur farming in Ireland, which are sections 1 to 8. Three amendments were received relating to section 9 provisions of this legislation amending the Forestry Act 2014. I recognise the broad support of Deputies for both aspects of the Bill - the prohibition of fur farming and the very sensible step to introduce the capacity to be able to plant 1 ha of native trees without the need to apply for a licence - obviously with reasonable terms and conditions applying to that. We will debate the three amendments put forward by Sinn Féin but it is important to note the overall agreement and sense that both initiatives are good in terms of policy direction and are worthy initiatives and move forward strongly in terms of providing capacity to make good headway regarding improving forestry under native trees and the important step of banning fur farming. This was a very legitimate and well-organised industry over many years but without a doubt, is one that has outlived its relevance in modern society in terms of our approach and attitudes to animal welfare standards as times have moved on. Therefore, we are taking this quite unprecedented step to prohibit the industry in the country.

Amendment No. 1 asks that on an annual basis, a report shall be laid before Dáil Éireann on the level of afforestation per local electoral area describing what level of afforestation is broadleaf and as to how this aligns with Government policy and objectives. As things stand, the Department provides very comprehensive forestry statistics. On a weekly basis through the forestry dashboard, information is provided on afforestation, roading and felling. Monthly statistics are also provided on a broader range of statistics that are available on the Department's website. At the end of each year, comprehensive statistical information is provided on a county-by-county basis in the annual forest sector statistics publication. My Department already makes available detailed information at individual plantation level on the composition of the areas being afforested. This information can and has in the past been used to determine the area and species planted at a regional level such as local electoral areas. The requirement to provide these statistics is not statutorily based but has evolved over time to meet the requirements of stakeholders in the forest sector. This allows for changes to be readily made to the information being sought. My preferred approach is to retain this current flexible approach to providing statistics. For these reasons, I do not propose to accept these amendments. I see where the Deputy is coming from but I am pointing out that this can already be done with the statistics provided by the Department. When we are putting primary legislation in place, we must consider the merits of how much detail we go into and how many legal requirements and how much of an administrative straitjacket are required of a Department. The appropriate way to deal with this is the way we currently do it by providing the statistics on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. It allows information to be sliced and diced in many different ways. Using primary legislation that requires it to be done in a specific way laid before the Dáil would not add anything because the information is already readily available and is very much utilised by the sector. While I see the point behind the amendment, the information is available and can be utilised and it is excessive to put that specificity into primary legislation.

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