Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is another great day for the Minister of State whose portfolio includes biodiversity and land use. This Bill is so important. Not only did the Green Party get this included in the programme for Government, we now see it coming to fruition.

Everyone knows that it is barbaric to have fur and skin farming and such farming will no longer take place in this country. There will be a complete ban on fur and skin farming, thanks to the work of the Minister of State, with support from the Government.

As someone who lives in the middle of nowhere with a couple of acres of land, I am really happy to see the removal of the need for an afforestation licence to plant up to 2.4 acres or 1 ha of native woodland. This is a game changer. Many people have contacted me about this issue. They have land, are aware of climate change and understand the importance of trees in the context of carbon sequestration. They have asked why planting trees is so complicated and why it is not possible to plant on some of their land. Today is a good day for them. I had many people to contact when I saw this legislation coming through because they have been looking for this. While 2.4 acres might not seem like much to some people, it is an awful lot to others. If every farmer and landowner takes part in this scheme, it will be a total game changer in terms of biodiversity, native species, flooding and water quality. It can be a seriously good win for rural Ireland as well as for the environment.

The design of the initiative to utilise these measures will have to ensure compliance with all environmental law, of course. In advance of the development of a scheme, the Department will undertake a strategic environmental assessment in order to develop thorough scheme criteria. Advisory structures and approval processes will be put in place. The inclusion of an exemption can be undertaken in a legally compliant and sustainable manner. Not only is the Minister of State doing it, she is doing it correctly. It is not being rushed through. It will be done properly, with all aspects considered in terms of best practice and the best use of land.

I also welcome the limit of 25% on Scots pine. There is almost a phobia about pine or Sitka spruce at this stage. One is in danger of being lynched if one mentions them. There is a more nuanced debate to be had Sitka spruce, forestry and the need for same in the context of Rebuilding Ireland and having the materials required to build houses. It is great that the Minister of State has focused on this and given it the time it needs. I thank her officials for working on this legislation.

I am living on the farm that I grew up on and I see much less native wildlife, including birds. I have seen a red squirrel once. All of the things that we grew up with and took for granted are not being seen by our children. They are not experiencing what we experienced. The amendments in this Bill could be a game changer in terms of reintroducing a lot of native species. I also see a lot of flooding due to bad river management involving hard engineering. This legislation is a really good win because every tree is a column of water. That is how we need to start seeing trees. They soak up water and reduce flooding. Not only that, their root systems hold onto soil and stop it from being washed away, which is another really important benefit of tree planting. A tree is not just a lovely green thing to look at on a nice day when one has nothing to be doing. Trees are hugely important in how we move forward as a country and lead the way around native woodlands. Woodlands are also great places for kids to go to play and climb in. I spoke to a friend of mine recently who said that it would be great if children could go out and play in forests like we all did as children, unsupervised, where they can learn to hurt themselves but pick themselves back up, play with sticks and stones and live in the realm of the imagination. This is so important. If every farmer and landowner in Ireland puts in a hectare of native woodland, that will enable children, teenagers and everybody else to enjoy native woodlands again. During Covid and lockdown we all asked, where are our open spaces, where is our nature, where are our beautiful native trees? No matter what kind of person you are, if you go into a native woodland, you will come out a happier person.

I welcome this day and really appreciate the Minister of State's work on this, along with her colleagues in the Department.