Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to her Chamber. It is apt that our first sitting in the Seanad Chamber has our own Minister of State present. I also welcome this Bill that is being put forward.

It has been mentioned a number of times today that the Bill is being brought forward in a speedy manner and that is a good thing. This industry has gone down 35% in the past year. If anything needs to be done, it needs to be done in a speedy manner and that is hugely welcome. We are talking about an industry that provides 12,000 jobs throughout the country and those jobs are in rural areas like mine in Tipperary. This industry contributes to the economy to the point of about €2.3 billion per year. All things being equal, that is expected to double by 2035. In 2018, Ireland produced wood products containing the equivalent of 1.9 tonnes of CO2.Ireland has one of the world's most technologically advanced timber industries. This industry has the potential to move forward and the potential to be a leading sector in Ireland, and certainly in rural Ireland. We have come to a stage where we are at a crisis. We are at a stage where things cannot move forward because, essentially, people are able to appeal and hold up the process for an extraordinary length of time. I welcome that the Bill has been brought forward to try to deal with that in some cases. We are getting to a situation where it is just not tenable anymore. This is not a medium or long-term crisis. This crisis is here and now.

I have listened to many Senators speak to the Bill and on this side of the House they are all of the same view. Simple things such as having a fee for people to appeal will dramatically change the appeals process. There are one or two people in the whole country who are holding up 100% of the cases going forward. By having a fee, if it goes along the lines of normal appeals processes of €200 going towards An Bord Pleanála, I would consider that a reasonable request. If the case is genuine and the person fully believes in what he or she is appealing, then he or she would be willing to pay the fee. For people who appeal absolutely everything and hold up cases across the State, this will be a deterrent to those we call "continuous appealers". I hugely welcome the measure.

We are in a situation whereby the industry has dropped so much that we will now import timber from Scotland, which is not acceptable. We should not have a situation where this happens. This is all because of a delay from our side, but a delay nonetheless.

It is strange that when one looks at the appeals put in, essentially it is the same people who appeal deforestation and the cutting of trees in countries around the world, these are the same people who are now delaying the growth of trees and are holding up cases across the State. I believe this fee will be a deterrent to what we call "continuous appealers". There is a contradiction in that.

We should be promoting the fact that this is good for the environment and is good for the State. It is good for many areas, including my own area in Tipperary. The Bill is also about saving jobs. There are 740 jobs in Tipperary connected to forestry. Sheehan Sawmills in Ballyporeen, just down the road from where I live, is a family-run business since 1979. They have been in business for 41 years. Dunne Sawmills in Drangan, just outside Fethard, has been in business for some 26 years. Such family-run businesses are in the heart of rural Ireland and they want to work and continue. All they need is the support from Government, and a Bill like this coming through as quickly as possible. I welcome the Bill and I thank the Minister of State for bringing it forward. The Bill has my full support.