Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not agree with Senator Boyhan when he said that many Senators come to the Chamber with scripts. I think he was referring, in particular, to the Government side. Senators on all sides of the House have spoken for themselves and made their own points and their own cases. The debate on this Bill is just one example of that happening.

Likewise, I did not agree with Senator Higgins when she stated that the grants should be for long-term projects only. There has to be a balance between long-term projects and the need for the harvesting of timber. It is more than likely that modular housing will be coming downstream, and there will be a greater need for timber as a result.

I raised the issue of planning permission with the other Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Heydon, during the previous debate on the Bill. The system of applying for planning permission is very cumbersome. People have to apply for many licences, including felling or harvesting licences, in order to remove timber. This is an area the Minister might examine. The process should be streamlined. When a planning application is submitted, it should be dealt with all the way from the planning stage, through harvesting and on to extraction. As he will be aware, there was recently a very difficult period in which people were seeking harvesting licences and there was a significant backlog. He will know that better than anyone given the county he is from, Donegal, where a great deal of timber is produced. His Department should consider issuing one pass, from planning all the way to harvesting and extraction.