Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We will be warm this winter. Hopefully, we will not need to buy too much coal.

The timescale of the felling licences is something that has concerned those in the sector. Can the Minister of State clarify whether the Bill will reduce that timescale? Currently, it takes up to 12 months to get a licence. That is too long, if somebody is trying to organise to bring in machinery and to agree contracts with the suppliers, etc.

The Minister of State mentioned the regeneration of forest land that has been felled and under the Bill there will be a compulsion on those who have felled illegally. Does the same apply to those who legally fell? In other words, if somebody plans to fell their trees and he or she has the licence, is there a legal obligation on him or her to regenerate and replant within a period of time? I would like clarity on that.

The levels of expansion in the sector need to be clarified. I read the transcript of suggestions from other parties in the Dáil.

Some suggest that we should put in 20,000 ha per year up to 2020 which would replace what is being felled. What are the Minister of State’s and the Department’s thoughts on that? How do we reach a point where we not only maintain ourstatus quo at 11% but also expand? If we stand still everything will be knocked eventually. There will be nothing left.
As Senator Barrett said we seem to allow ash come in willy-nilly from Europe, not just eastern Europe. This brought in ash dieback disease. I am glad to report that the GAA is already involved in ash planting projects across the country but they will not come to fruition for another ten years. I am concerned that if one tree is identified as having ash dieback, all the ash planted around it must be taken out. Is that necessary or can we control it without knocking everything? It is like a bulldozer effect, if there are a couple of trees with ash dieback we might take out ten acres of good ash which could be used to make hurleys. If nothing is being done about that the Minister of State might highlight it in the Department and reconsider the policy adopted.