Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Paul Daly and others in complimenting Deputy Cahill and the members of the committee he chairs on their work on the vital issue of forestry. In many ways, I will simply echo some of Senator Cahill's points. Having looked at the recommendations, while they are ambitious in certain places, they are achievable. I know from speaking to those working in the forestry sector that this has been a very difficult period. They have communicated that to the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, clearly. The fact that, of late, we have been planting fewer trees than we were in 1990 certainly raises eyebrows.

I echo Deputy Cahill's comment that we need to be ambitious. We need to start to look at where we want to be in ten, 15 and 20 years' time, rather than talking about short-term licensing. We must ensure we have a viable forestry industry that is financially sustainable for those involved in it and contributes towards environmental sustainability.

If I have one criticism of the Department, it is that it is not being sufficiently ambitious. We need ambition and that is encouraged by the recommendations. Forestry will represent and is, in my ways, one of the easiest solutions to tacking climate change. I encourage the Minister of State to continue to engage with the sector and continues to be ambitious.