Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have debates going on about what went on in Cabinet, who knew what and what was in who's brief. These are historic debates but I am asking about a current issue, the sale by Coillte to Gresham House. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, says it is not the Government's preferred option. Will the Taoiseach take the opportunity on Thursday to talk to President Metsola about the rules of engagement on grants paid down to Coillte? Will he also deal with Coillte and the way it is mistreating farmers? There is unfairness in the licensing situation such that Coillte got 90% of the felling licences last year and the farmers who we are expecting to grow this timber have been locked out of it completely. This is a rotten deal and it should be reversed. No rule has ever been made that could not be changed or broken. It might cost money and I am not saying we should dishonour something but we must change our ways because there is huge anxiety and anger building over this sale of our land. We are celebrating our forefathers who fought to free this country and we are doing this kind of deal and we will have Cabinet investigations later on. We should deal with it now and back out of this disgraceful, shady and pro-British deal.

See this speech in context