Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. The area applied for permission for afforestation in 2011 was 38% lower than in 2010. Is he aware that the change made by departmental officials directly contributed to the decline and, as a result, vast areas of productive land were excluded? The grant and premium rates were also cut and severe restrictions were put on the area of land allowable. Other issues are also under the control of the Department, such as acid sensitive areas, hen harrier designation and farmer status. What does the Minister believe has caused the decline and what steps does he intend to take to remedy it? If afforestation has decreased by 38% in one year, something must be seriously wrong. There are people who want to plant land in areas of counties Cork and Kerry, for example, but we are down 38% because the unenclosed land has been cut out for grants and rates.