Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his very comprehensive reply. I appreciate that a great deal of work has been done in respect of this matter and that we are all as one in terms of trying to control this disease. On foot of the statistics provided by the Minister of State, it is quite obvious that we are not going to have sufficient ash to make hurleys for the next few years. There is a need for an immediate awareness campaign among members of the public in order that we might identify and remove infected ash trees as early as possible. This will allow us to retain the 20,000 ha of ash to which the Minister of Stater referred for as long as possible. I again thank the Minister of State.