Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Coillte’s plans to partner with a private investment fund are causing huge concern across the country. Under the plans, Coillte will source tens of thousands of acres in rural Ireland, plant the trees and manage the forests. The State entity will do all the work with regard to this project - it will do all the heavy lifting - but private international investors will reap the rewards. This is a very lucrative investment for them: it is secure, low risk and profitable. Why is the Government facilitating this land grab by international investors, subsidising this through forestry grant schemes and tax incentives, and pushing up land prices across Ireland? Fine Gael has a track record of putting corporates before community and large investors before community, whether it is on housing or health, and now it appears to be happening on climate action. Why is the State not using some of its €5 billion surplus this year to invest in forestry for the benefit of rural Ireland, for the benefit of our climate targets and for the benefit of biodiversity? The Taoiseach needs to knock this deal on the head now.

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