Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I spoke on a proposal the Deputy Leader made to have statements with the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, on the future of forestry, which I endorse. I met with the Social Economic Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland, SEEFA, yesterday and there is a large group from throughout the country here this morning. It is important we have that sooner rather than later to address not just the logjam in the felling licences due to the objections, but the logjam in the planning applications for putting in more forestry. Then we have the whole issue of having to plan for road licences and thinning. We need to readjust the whole forestry system, as it is in other European countries. I ask that be done sooner rather than later.

Sport is in my brief and it has been in the news this morning. We need clarity from Sport Ireland and the Department on underage sports indoors. Certain sports such as basketball and squash are not taking place and are being cancelled because they are indoor and we cannot ask for vaccination certificates for children between 12 and 18. Those under 12 do not have certificates. There needs to be clarification to make sure those sports can continue. That is important for our youth. If people are vaccinated, which they are from over 12 years of age, those sports should be allowed go ahead, rather than be cancelled as they have been over the past number of days.