Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

The history of forestry in Ireland is wrapped up in many ways with the history of the Irish people. We were heavily deforested by the British as part of centuries of colonial asset stripping and now, as a result, we are one of the least forested countries in Europe. This has obviously damaged Ireland immeasurably and we are a poorer country as a result. It is quite ironic, therefore, that what we are seeing 100 years after independence is an Irish Government, unable to replace those forests, outsourcing the job to a British vulture fund. Many times in this House I have found it very hard to understand the complex solutions the Government comes up with for what should be simple projects and this is one such example. The Government's intention is to sell State-owned property and Ireland's carbon credits to a British vulture fund is one example of a Gordian knot. Why do Government solutions always have to include a vulture fund? Vulture funds are, in many ways, an invasive species in Ireland. They distort markets for both suppliers and customers and they put those markets out of kilter. They have grossly negatively affected the housing sector, have turned many communities against the building of wind farms and solar farms, and they repatriate billions of euro of profits from this country. The fact that this Government sought to introduce vulture funds into this area of Irish society and to try to sneak it in under the radar is incredible. It will do enormous damage to land ownership in this State. It will also do enormous damage to the farmers in our communities. That is before one makes the point that this is the people's land. It is our land that is being sold.

See this speech in context