James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views, as a matter of urgency, on the necessity to introduce a revised forest road scheme to assist farmers to build the required forest roads infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43883/08]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Some €128 million has been allocated to the Forestry subhead for 2009, demonstrating the Government's commitment to maintaining an active and substantial forestry programme into the future. This significant investment by the Government will allow for the operation of a range of forestry schemes next year. However, much of the allocation for 2009 is already committed and the scope for new forestry schemes, or enhancements to existing ones, is limited.

Given the substantial State investment in forestry over the last number of years I fully appreciate the need to manage the forest resource we have. My Department has been promoting thinning and related wood energy initiatives over the last couple of years and I recognise the importance of forest roads to facilitate this. Our officials are assessing how available resources can best be employed to meet the demands of industry for proper forest infrastructure.

Our officials recently met with the stakeholders in the forestry sector through the medium of the forestry liaison group. They fully briefed them on the financial position for 2009 and the need for the prioritisation of programme expenditure. The views of the stakeholders were sought on the areas of forestry activity where resources would best be employed and this will assist my Department in its examination of spending priorities.

The overall forestry situation is currently being reviewed in light of the allocation under the 2009 budget to ensure the available funds are put to best use. The allocation of funding to specific schemes will be on a basis of strict prioritisation of programmes in order to maximise the benefits for all the stakeholders within the forest industry.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I am a little disappointed with the Minister's reply. He seems to be putting off paying the forestry grants for roads into private forestry plantations, most of which are broadleaf plantations that will be of significant importance when I am long gone from the House.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I cannot imagine that.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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That is a long time away.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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It is no good putting things on the long finger. What reply can I give to the thousands of farmers who planted and put their faith in broadleaf plantations? Their plantations take 40 or 50 years to come to maturity and are of immense significance for the country both economically and environmentally. If the Minister of State wants to curb emissions that threaten us with a global disaster in the near future, he should start at his feet. He should begin with the people who had the faith to plant plantations for the future of the country. However, the Minister is putting these farmers on the long finger. When will he introduce the revised forest road scheme that is urgently required to assist farmers to build the required forest roads infrastructure? He has not answered that question. Will he do so now?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I will try to elaborate further. It is not telling tales out of school to say we sought more money so we could introduce the necessary schemes. We did not get everything we wanted, but we got most of it. The €128 million we got was considered good in the context of the situation with which we must deal. Therefore, we had to prioritise. The priority was to put the funds into the planting end of the business — the Deputy should be happy with that — because of the need for a greater amount of timber for the economic and environmental reasons to which the Deputy has alluded, sequestration of emissions being but one of them. We also need a larger amount of timber to substitute for imports and for fuel.

With regard to fuel, there is now, more than ever, a market for thinnings, because of the wood pellet business and biomass yield and these provide revenue. The calculation we have made is that as a result of the growing market and demand for thinnings, this should help in providing a level of infrastructure to support the market. At the same time, we also need to increase plantings. We had to take a strategic decision. We hope and predict that the growing demand for thinnings will result in revenue that will help to offset the shortfall we have in the budget.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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That may be a step in the right direction, but time is of importance. How soon can the Minister of State establish a grant system for private foresters who have committed themselves to the future economy of the country? When can he announce a package of grants for forestry roads for these private planters?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Much as I would love to be able to give the Deputy a date, I cannot. I have already said that the available resources will determine when it will be possible to extend the revised forest road scheme. Unfortunately, that is the reality and I cannot dress it up or make it sound any better. I remind the Deputy there is a growing demand for the thinnings because they are the raw material for wood pellets.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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How can farmers bring out the thinnings without the roads infrastructure?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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All I can do is tell people the truth, which is they should not wait for the revised forest roads scheme before getting on with thinning. I have an interest in the forestry planting area.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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So have I.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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We both have, so let us speak as people with that interest. It is bad advice to tell people to hang on so they may get a grant for thinning, because as the years pass, the trees become less valuable unless they are thinned at the right time. It is not possible to say wait and see and the grant will come in due course. I want people to take the decisions now and get the value of the thinnings and the improved value of the timber later, which will be enhanced if they thin at the right time. There is no time to wait around.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Surely there is no time for the Government to wait to introduce a scheme.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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We cannot just print the money.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Is it a case of live horse and one will get grass?

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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No, it is a case of the budget. I do not know what the Deputy expects me to do. Does he want me to take the thinnings, turn them into paper and print money and give it back to people? The only outcome of that would be an increased sale of wheelbarrows, because we could not manage that without causing significant inflation. We must be realistic. We do not have the money for the schemes, but there is value in the product so the market should drive the thinning business.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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How can it do that if the infrastructure is not there for it?