Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

"Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan adhmaid? Tá deireadh na gcoillte ar lár." This is true in contemporary Ireland. Our philosophy in the 1930s was one more cow, one more sow and one more acre under the plough but that has changed over the decades. This is a different Ireland under the EU. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace, with whom I had many dealings in her former portfolios. I have happy memories of her visiting west Cork with a different brief. She acquitted herself well and people still talk of her visits to CoAction Bantry.

In Ireland we have a sad record on the plantation of forestry compared to Europe as a whole. I am delighted with the Government's initiatives to support afforestation. As a farmer's son, I have been an advocate of the REPS scheme for years and have encouraged people to get involved in REPS 1 to 4. A significant amount of farmers work in an environmentally friendly way. They are encouraged to do it and it is good for areas such as the Sheep's Head, the Mizen Peninsula and the Beara Peninsula where there is a mixture of tourism, scenic routes and afforestation. In areas such as Glengarrif there is a natural wood where Coillte has done much good work. I am encouraged by the announcement of extra grant aid to farmers.

I do not wish to rehash the points already made. For someone who was involved in setting up the Sheep's Head way, a renowned walkway on the peninsula, it is wonderful that €4 million has been provided by the Minister for Community, Gaeltacht and Rural Affairs. The same marked walkways exist in Beara and Kerry.

I support developing forests, as well as the point made by Senator de Búrca on greater balance. We had a tendency to plant conifers rather than our native deciduous trees 20 or 30 years ago. I am glad to see our native types encouraged. We had wonderful oak forests before my time and before the history of this State. We must examine what is native to Ireland. I am not anti-conifer but it is a Scandinavian breed of timber.

Only 20% of the dairy farmers who farmed when I was a child are left today in places like west Cork. Dairy farming has become more intense and the farmer with 15 cows is no longer at the races. Such farmers are dying out. These farmers are engaged in REPS, which is the type of support needed to encourage people to remain on the land. Afforestation has great potential in creating jobs. Not before time there is a tendency in the construction industry to build a type of house that is environmentally friendly, with less wasted on heating. I recently examined the possibility of a wood chip burner for the house in which I live. These are very efficient compared to the days of the huge coal fires. We have an obligation to the next generation to ensure we have an environmentally friendly way of dealing with issues.

Afforestation has a significant role to play in this. I am pleased to see the Minister of State take a proactive approach to encourage afforestation in a sensible manner. We do not wish to destroy our landscape. I was a councillor for nearly 20 years and received complaints about country roads near Gougane Barra, the Borlin Valley and the Ballydehob area where the harvesting of trees damaged roads. This matter has been resolved due to an arrangement between local authorities and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that ensures that roads are repaired after huge trailers transport logs to the timber processing plants.

In the next 20 years I wish to see greater intensity of afforestation. With the concept of setaside, there are arguments that with much of world grain being used for biofuels we may have to row back and decide that land should not lie idle because of some EU regulation. We may be forced to use it to grow wheat or barley. There is more land than ever in my lifetime available for afforestation. This is due to the changing patterns of farming. This can be handled in a sensible way.

What I like about the proposals is that, under FEPS, a small farmer with some mountain and some lowland can grow up to eight hectares and receive grant aid assistance. Under the FEPS premium, it is payable in addition to the existing afforestation scheme. In addition to grants and premia, a farmer planting eight hectares or 20 acres for the duration of FEPS can earn an annual tax free forestry premium of up to €6,000 without affecting his or her single payment. It is a wonderful suggestion that should be promulgated more. Many farmers in remote areas of Ireland may not be aware of this. I appeal to the IFA, an organisation for which I have great respect, to use and promulgate these schemes to add a sense of security to subsistence farmers. These are not commercial farmers, they have a place in rural Ireland and I love to see them supported. I support the initiatives of the Minister of State and wish her well.