Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join with Senator Gallagher in wishing Dr. Rory O'Hanlon, a former Minister and TD and of course a fantastic GP in the Monaghan area, a belated happy birthday. It was great to hear him on his local radio station hale and hearty, talking about life in general and political life. He referred to the late John Bruton as well. I am sure he had a wonderful 90th birthday and we wish him well into the future.

I welcome new restrictions brought in yesterday by Scottish Forestry in relation to exports of spruce timber from Scotland. Our own Minister of State, Senator Hackett, the Department of agriculture and of course our Oireachtas agriculture committee have been working on this for some time. After a number of months of major discussions, the Department and the Scottish authorities have arrived at an outcome that will protect Irish forests.These new restrictions on the movement of spruce logs from some of west Scotland's pest-free areas are a positive step in maintaining Ireland's protected zone status for certain pests. This is something that is very important to the forestry business here. Many regulated pests and diseases found elsewhere throughout the world in forestry areas are not present in Ireland. We have had a very strict plant health regime for a long time and that is a very favourable way to be. Ireland's protected zone status includes six bark beetle species. They can do awful damage to wood, so this is a very important and welcome step for our forestry business. It is good it has now been agreed and brought forward by Scottish Forestry and it is good for this country.