Pippa Hackett Minister of State for Agriculture RIGHT NOW, ONLY 11% of Ireland’s land is covered in trees. That is the lowest level of forest cover of any EU country, and it is not enough. There’s little argument about that.
But there is still much conversation going on about just what a ‘right model’ should or would look like, with the shape of such conversation depending very much on one’s point of view. There are hundreds now on hand and the FAC is simply unable to cope. As such, there is a very real risk that the supply of timber will dry up and many thousands of jobs will be lost. Equally at the other end of the supply chain we have had millions of saplings destroyed, as afforestation licenses are also caught up in the same process.
Others however raised concerns about the draft Bill’s provisions on who would have the right to object, and also on whether it was compliant with the Aarhus Convention, which establishes a numbe of rights for the public with regard to the environment. I am also happy that it ensures the Bill aligns with the Aarhus Convention, and that public participation in the planning process is being enhanced through a new online portal for forestry licence applications. It will provide all the necessary details for interested parties to examine at the time of a licence application.
I do expect that vision, whatever it is, will still contain a mix. Without question we must address all the justified environmental concerns, but we must also continue to support a commercial forestry sector which supports so many thousands of important rural-based jobs, and also provides a valuable, carbon storing material for construction and furniture.