Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I join in the general welcome extended to the Minister of State. We served together on an Oireachtas committee some years ago to good effect. We must be concerned about the statistic that 10% of the land in Ireland is under afforestation, while the EU average tends to be in the range of 35%. Bearing in mind the food shortage and all other considerations, we should still aspire to having a greater proportion of our land planted.

We must also put more emphasis on native tree species. We may have an over-reliance on non-native softwood species. These are falling in price and, in some instances, are being imported more cheaply. We must affect something of a balance between hardwoods and softwoods and tilt the balance more in favour of hardwoods. I recognise that softwoods produce a more immediate income and that they have a shorter developmental span, which is important in terms of creating an economic return. However, an emphasis on hardwoods is necessary. We have traditional hardwoods in Ireland which are very much part of our original landscape. I recommend that the Minister of State looks at strategies to achieve that. I understand that only 3% of our planted land is planted with traditional hardwoods, which bears consideration. We should be concerned about the fact that we import Canadian and US hardwood and ivory.

We need to put more emphasis on regular felling, which is not happening in our forests. There needs to be more regular thinning and there should be an outlet for that. Pellet burners are an obvious outlet for tree thinnings. It is important for the health of forests that regular thinning be carried out. It should also be an important economic factor in terms of getting a return from the thinnings, creating jobs and contributing to our GNP. The fact that we do not have sufficient output from thinnings and the potential for jobs need urgent consideration.

We should be promoting hardwoods. Afforestation contributes so much to absorbing carbon emissions. I understand that it saves approximately €200 million annually in respect of carbon emissions absorbed by our forests and not having to pay fines imposed under the Kyoto Protocol. As we approach 2020 and try to reach the new agreed levels of carbon emissions, afforestation must be a very important strategy in that regard. The potential of our forests to absorb carbon emissions is of considerable importance. It will be of considerable importance in respect of hardwoods because despite their long developmental life, they would be very useful from that perspective.

Senator Ellis mentioned the fact that fellings are taking place and are not being replaced, particularly by the State agency. I agree with him because I have witnessed it on occasions. I suggest to the Minister of State that this needs urgent attention. We cannot leave an eyesore or allow under-productivity or no activity on the land in question. In the context of global warming, it is almost criminal if this is the case. It does not happen too often but it should be monitored.

The climate change element is very important. If we are to reach the proposed level of emissions and the European target of a 20% reduction for 2020, it will take a combination of strategies, of which afforestation must be one. Afforestation and our forests' contribution to recreation, our tourism infrastructure and our quality of life cannot be underestimated. At the risk of sounding parochial, my experience of dealing with Coillte in this regard has been positive. I found Coillte to be proactive in terms of maintaining its forests and making them attractive to tourism. I understand that the element of Coillte's budget that is devoted to the development of forests as a local resource could be looked at because there may be the potential for more development there.

At the risk of sounding parochial, there is a very beautiful area called Castle Lake at Bailieborough where I live. While these matters are local, they have national relevance. The Dun an Rí Forest Park is located nearby. The renowned Lough Key Forest Park is located over in Roscommon. Castle Lake is in a very beautiful setting and contains very nice forest walks. There has been considerable development there hence my reference to my experience in dealing with Coillte, which has done very good work there. However, this needs replication. There is further room for improvement.

There is enormous potential for areas like Castle Lake in Bailieborough and Dun an Rí Forest Park to be resources for a local community, particularly in terms of health considerations and more free time, and to be resources that improve our tourism product. I invite the Minister of State to visit the Castle Lake area in Bailieborough. It is worthy of examination because it is a very beautiful example with further potential for development in which more money could be invested.

The IFA has made a number of recommendations to Mr. Malone's inquiry. I understand it is proposing that it should not be obligatory to reforest after the life of a forest has expired. I suggest the Minister of State takes this recommendation on board. Farmers do not like the idea of committing themselves, their children and their children's children to afforestation. It is enough to commit to one life cycle of trees. The likelihood is that they will continue in the vast majority of cases but the option needs to be there.

A green forest payment as an extra incentive in the context of the expenditure that will be necessary to reach our Kyoto Protocol targets needs examination. A green forest payment and the removal of the replanting obligation would be good incentives to develop the forestry sector.

I hope the Minister of State will accept my invitation to Castle Lake in Bailieborough to look at it as a practical example of what has already been achieved by Coillte. It is a resource that is greatly used by the local community and is attracting visitors. It has so much potential for further development. That could be the pilot study in which the Minister of State could invest heavily and from which she could extrapolate nationally.