Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The borrowings have been in compliance with the provisions of legislation. We will deal with the matter on Committee Stage, as Senator Bradford has tabled an amendment on it.

I frequently visit Castlewellan and Tullymore in the North and they have good facilities that are widely used. They use a slightly different system, with The National Trust and the local authorities playing a slightly different role. Local authorities here are becoming proactive also. Senator Ó Brolcháin has made the point that, in respect of Coillte, there are 18 million visits a year, an extraordinarily high number, of which the value to the economy is estimated at €97 million. Senator Coffey's point is central to how we should examine what appear to be problems. However, alongside them, there are enormous opportunities. Where Coillte lands are not directly in State ownership but under State influence, there are opportunities to do things earlier than in the private forestry estate, which is also significant. I welcome the ideas that have come from several Senators.

Coillte is responsible for ten forest parks, 150 recreational sites and 50% of road walking routes in the country. This represents a significant contribution to the recreation industry in terms of the health-related recreation benefits arising. Members also mentioned mountain bike trails and other very important facilities. Perhaps it is a good time to focus on this aspect. Coillte oficials tell me they invest heavily and have a sense that it is not particularly appreciated at national level. The investment is appreciated by those who use the facilities, but the level of investment is not appreciated in the same way. A clear signal will be sent by this debate that it is appreciated.

I am also familiar with Belleek House mentioned by Senator Carty. He welcomed the establishment of wind farms and made the important point that we were dependent on oil. It costs us some €7 billion per annum and we are at the furthest end of a gas pipeline that extends to much less stable political entities. Security of supply is a major issue, as are environmental concerns.

The Senator also referred to employment. One of the beauties of employment in the forestry industry is that it is frequently in areas where there are few other opportunities. The profit drop to which he referred is largely attributable to the decline in the construction industry. It is also attributable in part to the difficulties that arose with the sterling euro exchange rate. Many exports are to the United Kingdom. That market remains robust in terms of quantity but is less positive in respect of the income derived from it.

I welcome Senator Ó Brolcháin to the House and wish him well in his political career. He mentioned that this was an indigenous industry and referred to points made by Senator Norris, one of which was that some of the most positive green shoots were attributable to foreign direct investment, but indigenous sectors of great importance are doing reasonably well. Some of the ideas presented can be put to use and great advances can be made. As Senator Ó Brolcháin pointed out, the challenge is to increase the percentage of our forest estate from 11% to 17%. Reaching this level of land cover in forestry seems like a major challenge. However, if one looks back 100 years, some 1% of the area of the country was covered in forestry. We have increased this to 10%, a tenfold increase; therefore, the challenge seems less daunting.

There are competing land use possibilities, which represents a challenge for forestry which is relatively difficult to address. Some 16,000 people are employed in the industry, a significant number. A number of speakers referred to the potential for tree planting in areas that were neither urban nor woodland. I refer to the little groves one sees frequently on the Continent. That is not attractive for commercial reasons or to Coillte because it is involved in the board business, among others We could examine the matter in the context of the new legislation to encourage people to grow small groves of trees that would have the same impact in terms of carbon sequestration as if they were grown on sites of 200 acres. There maybe possibilities in this regard.

I acknowledge the role played by the Green Party, in particular by my colleague in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Trevor Sargent. I also acknowledge the role played by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, with whom I worked for the first year of the Government's term. They have been very supportive of forestry.

Senator Cassidy referred to climate change and made the important point that there were obstacles to increasing the level of afforestation. We must examine these issues closely. The Senator also referred to the role of the NRA, the local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in growing trees along the roadside. Apart from being beautiful and preventing wind damage, it sends a positive message about afforestation.

The Senator asked if beech was a native woodland or broadleaf species. It is classified as a broad leaf species for grant assistance purposes but there are separate schemes for native species. There is no native species of beech tree. When dealing with forestry, I am often worried that people will ask me very specific questions because there are a range of schemes in place. Some say we should simplify them, but there are good reasons we should promote native species and broadleaf species. In this instance, beech qualifies as a broadleaf species but not as a native species. There are considerable differences in the premium rates payable.