Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for this opportunity to speak on the Bill. I congratulate the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, on bringing this Bill to the House. It must be a great honour to be here as Senator and Minister of State, only the fifth in the history of the State and the first in my lifetime. It is a truly historic day for Senator Hackett, standing as a Seanadóir in this Chamber for the first time also. It is great we feel like we are finally home.

I welcome this Bill. I welcome any Bill that will fix the backlog of applications for forestry. I think we will agree on many issues. The value of forestry is significant economically, socially and environmentally.

The backlog of applications is scandalous and it has had a detrimental effect on the number of tree plantations in this country. This Bill will secure forestry employment into the future. I have had constituents contact me on hundreds of occasions with queries as to where their applications are, the reasons for the delay, what the problem is, etc.They are always waiting for ecologists' reports or other reports, so the deployment of 13 extra ecologists is welcome. I welcome the changes made to the Bill and congratulate the Minister of State on taking into consideration the nearly 9,000 submissions made. It shows the interest and importance of forestry in this country.

Economically, forestry is vital. We have an excellent climate for tree growth and we should embrace that. We also need to encourage the planting of the right trees. I was heartened to hear the Minister of State on the radio at the weekend echoing that opinion. We have to ensure the balance is right. Commercial forestry is crucial and needs to be protected.

If we had planned it correctly we would not need to plant Sitka spruce. There needs to be a proper balance in that regard. Sitka spruce are destructive to the landscape and do not promote our native biodiversity. I may be accused of being a bit radical when it comes to my dislike of the Sitka spruce but I will not apologise for it. The State's relentless subsidised Sitka spruce afforestation programme is causing environmental problems. Irish animals, birds and fish species are being driven to extinction because of their natural habitat being replaced by unnatural conifer forests.

We need more ecological nationalism in this country. We need to protect our native trees and the Department should be doing more to encourage and promote the planting of native Irish trees. These trees originally grew in this land and these plants and trees supported and protected our first settlers. Many native Irish trees are a food source for insects and mammals while many non-native trees do not have similar benefits. It has been suggested that the lowly and common hawthorn can support around 200 different insect species. This link of native flora and fauna is important to highlight and remember.

Has the Department done an extensive scientific environmental study on the effects of Sitka spruce plantations on the Irish countryside, including water quality, irreversible changes to the landscape and pest control side effects? It is internationally recognised that exotic tree species are inherently more vulnerable to pests and diseases than indigenous tree species.

When is it hoped the backlog will be cleared? How many licences will be granted this year and per annum going forward?