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

While I appreciate that the proposal in amendment No. 11 to substitute "should" for "may" is positive towards forestry management planning, I believe the use of the word "may" is more appropriate in this section, and for this reason I do not agree with the proposed amendment. The size of a forest can vary from small to very large and it is important that this provision be flexible enough to allow for a selective approach to the requirement for a management plan.

In respect of amendment No. 12, it is implicit in section 10(4) that any plan that is changed or modified will state the reasons for so doing. I would also draw Members' attention to section 10(6) of the Bill, where provision is made for the making of regulations to provide for the implementation of plans. In drafting such regulations, a Minister will have to have regard to the doctrine of proportionality, particularly that any requirement he or she proposes would not be disproportionate to the objectives he or she is seeking to achieve and that reasons are given where plans are rejected or revoked. The intention is to make management plans as user-friendly as possible, and my Department will provide templates and guidelines to facilitate this process. The intention of the Forestry Bill is to have less red tape and to make it easier. A lot of time, effort and discussions happened during the past number of months to make sure that management plans were made easier. What a future Minister might or might not do is not in my hands, but the thrust of where forestry is going in Ireland is to make it easier and more amenable for people.