Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge, first, the members of the agriculture committee who are present. We all have our strengths and weaknesses but the committee works well. A lot of its members are in the House tonight. This is a good debate and comes out of our debate on the previous fund proposed by Coillte, and the knock-on debate about our forestry programme in society . It has been good because we have had to flush out where we are going with this forestry programme. The scale of what is proposed between now and 2050 is amazing. We are talking about bringing forestry levels up to 18% of the area of Ireland. That means planting the equivalent area of County Louth twice over between now and 2050. I have no issue with County Louth. To put it another way it means planting half of Cork county. That is a significant area, which is not in public ownership. The majority of that land is in private ownership. How we are going to get the private entity involved in that is important. The Minister's statement at the committee, which Senator Daly restated, is that the figures stack up and are quite significant. If one was to have the opportunity to set aside 1 ha and over a 20 year period draw down €20,000, that is a significant amount. That story needs to be told about the forestry programme. Putting €1.3 billion into it is significant. It is now about telling that story to ensure that we can get the farming community and landowners involved. However, this debate is about something else, which is making sure that everyone can be involved. I mentioned at the committee that anyone with a social conscience, whether working in Eli Lilly or God knows where, should have the opportunity to invest in a climate fund that could result in forestry being grown in Ireland. Let us widen this pot. Let everyone be part of it.

We have heard the view of Coillte representatives that they need funds and access to funds. However, society needs access to the opportunity to invest in forestry. That vehicle needs to be created. That is what this debate has mushroomed into. How can we create a vehicle where society can invest in a fund in order that everyone can be part of this change process? I mentioned in my previous remarks that this is an special savings incentive account, SSIA, style policy. It is the idea that one invests in a government bond and one knows exactly where it is going. There would be an unbelievable buy-in if the Government led this and was involved in it, and a credit pertained to it. I made those comments at the agriculture committee and the reaction I got was quite amazing. People want the opportunity to be part of a story of change. They want the Government to provide them the vehicle to be part of it. I believe the passion is in the Department to do it. That is why officials published a forestry programme that has moved the payments from 15 to 20 years. That is why they have recognised the importance of getting the information out to the general farming and landowning community that they have the opportunity to invest. However, that circle needs to be pushed out now.

Some speakers mentioned that the next generation is the issue. People who are married, or have kids or whatever, want a society that will be there for them, and an environment that will be there for them. How can people invest to make sure that happens? That is all we are looking for here. The motion has been well drafted. I compliment the Senator for putting it forward, and I also compliment his help for putting it together. This is a significant proposal and young people have helped an older Senator to put together a really good motion.