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

There were worthwhile contributions and they helped me and other people involved in the process of dealing with the Bill. It is a very important Bill and the first legislation on this area since 1946. It covers much of what we are about in Ireland, our love of trees and growing them, protecting the environment and jobs in the forestry and milling sectors.

I have visited the mills across the country which are major employers. When the recession hit and jobs were being lost, those people took it upon themselves to export the timber and we now have a success story in our timber industry. That has percolated through the industry from planting, to the work done in fields in the thinning of trees and all the other work that is part of the operation. A huge number of people are employed in the sector and it is all based in rural Ireland. It is a good success story. I hear people knock rural Ireland every day throughout the country.