Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is already legislation in place which entitles citizens to information on forestry and to participate in forestry planning.
I remind the Senators that my Department, like all other Departments, is a public body for the purposes of the access to information on the environment regulations,which allows members of the public to request environmental information held by public authorities and which place an obligation on public authorities to be proactive in disseminating environmental information to the public.
Under the Forest Consent and Assessment Regulations 2010, my Department is already required to consult with stakeholders and the general public when deciding whether to grant consent for afforestation and forest road projects. My Department is also an authority for the purposes of the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations, which require the Department to carry out strategic environmental assessment of any proposed programme for forestry and to consult widely, and facilitate public participation, during that process. In fact, a strategic environmental assessment of the new forestry programme 2014-2020 is currently nearing completion. The SEA process includes consultation with all stakeholders, including environmental NGOs.
My Department already publishes and disseminates a wide range of information on forestry, including statistical information and information on the condition of Ireland's forests. Senators may recall that only last December I announced the publication of the main findings of Ireland's second national forest inventory.This information, along with more detailed information generated by the inventory is available at all times on the Department's website. Furthermore, section 13(1) of the Bill provides the Minister with the power to collect and disseminate information and statistics on forests, forestry and forestry-based industry. I, therefore, do not propose to accept the amendment.