Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----because it is not profitable and it will destroy much of the amenity, such as the scenery, that is the Golden Vale. Where do we marry the incentive for the profit line for land that is not currently afforested and how do we provide a greater incentive for farmers and landowners to get into planting? No doubt more jobs will grow from extra planting. In our constituency, Medite, which is one of the best employers in the country, has a massive timber plant in Clonmel. We see what that can mean to a local community, for example, with spin-off jobs. We need more such companies around the country.

I welcome the section on environmental protection and matters such as walking rights. I also welcome the section on pest control. When one sees this as a full section, it might seem unimportant. However, it is vital for the survival of saplings and young trees that pest control can be introduced.

On the incentives for afforestation that exist currently, does the Minister of State foresee anything in the coming budget that will provide further incentives? This is extremely important, as Senator Barrett stated already. The difficulty is that when forest trees are taken out, for some reason there is a gap and that gap is too long. The expert on my right tells me that, in fact, when they are being cut, there is an acid put down into what is left of the roots of the tree which kills them over a quick period. At one time, that was not possible and it took a long time to get rid of the roots and introduce the new system as the roots clogged up the soil. That is now not the reason and we need to provide greater incentives to landowners and farmers. Is there anything coming down the track for that so that we can grow it?

On the felling licence issue, I am glad that commonsense has prevailed. I have, it is not a holding, two acres of land on which I have trees. I was envisaging I would have to get a licence to knock down the few trees for myself but the Minister of State has clarified that matter. One can knock what one needs for one's own firewood.