Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry I only dealt with amendment No. 3 when I should also have spoken on amendments Nos. 5, 10 and 95. Senator Boylan put her finger on the matter with a very good suggestion about a panel system.This is about giving confidence to people and, in particular, the environmental pillars, which have been active. We saw the number of submissions that they sent as individuals and collective organisations to the Government's public consultation on the draft heads of the Bill.

Someone from An Bord Pleanála could be nominated. An Bord Pleanála is the national planning regulator, yet there is no mention of it in this legislation. It has a State remit. The national planning regulator is a very powerful office that gives guidance and regulation. That is important. What people do not want to see is a load of people from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine being given the jobs. We need people who are exceptionally qualified in ecology, forestry, biology and the diverse sciences involved. There should be representation from all communities. There is forestry up the road from where I live. It is a forestry partnership of South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councils. This is not a rural versus urban issue. We have wonderful forests ten minutes in the car from here. The Minister of State should invite people to submit nominations.

This must be an open and transparent appeals process. I have every confidence that she will support it as well as the idea that people should be qualified. No one can sit on the appeals board for more than two terms, which is standard corporate governance practice in most bodies.

We have discussed amendment No. 3, so I will now discuss amendment No. 5, which states,"The Minister shall establish panels of expert bodies to propose nominees for appointment as members of the Forestry Appeals Committee, similar to the panels used to appoint members of the Board of An Bord Pleanála". I do not have a difficulty with this, and neither should the Minister of State. According to the amendment, such panels would consider input from "the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, An Taisce: the National Trust for Ireland, the Environmental Pillar [the Minister of State's party is strongly aligned to it and has given it endless political support to date, which I hope continues] and the Heritage Council." Surely the Minister of State would support this amendment. I hope she does. I would not like to think that a Minister of State would oppose it in Seanad Éireann, given how much logic there is in it. Notwithstanding that, it is important that, as Senator Boylan stated, people with expertise in biodiversity, water quality, climate change and environmental sciences be involved.

I will leave it at that. I find it difficult to believe that the Minister of State would oppose these amendments, so I want to hear her rationale.