Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Yes, we need to receive full state aid approval before we can fully get our forestry programme up and running. However, as I indicated, that does not stop any trees going in the ground. Anyone who has an existing licence can plant under the arrangements of the proposed new programme, and we have been given that permission. I understand we are finalising our over-and-back process with the Commission and we have to get back to the Commission with more information. I would like to think we will be making our informed submission in a matter of weeks. As the Minister said last week, the process can last for between two and eight months. I know eight months sounds like a very long time, and it is, but the last time we did this back in 2014, it was a three-month process. We have done a lot of work and we engaged with the Commission prior to the end of last year, so I would like to think we have ticked the necessary boxes. We will just have to wait and see what comes back. It is important that we get that state aid approval and get this right.