'Tree corridors most frustrating discussion I've had' - Taoiseach
Taoiseach Michael Martin has said that the issue of tree corridors has been "the most frustrating discussion I have had so far".
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday (Tuesday, April 1), the Taoiseach addressed the National Emergency Co-ordination Group's response to Storm Éowyn.
He said: " We need to improve the resilience of the grid. That means proper tree corridors.
"We need to engage with Coillte, private farm owners, private forestry owners, the ESB and EirGrid. Once and for all, we need a comprehensive programme to protect the grid from falling trees.
"It seems elementary. The issue is the lack of a single focus. Different people all say it is somebody else's problem. I am keeping a focus on this. I want to make sure that progress is made before the next winter with regard to the necessity for tree corridors."
The Taoiseach also said that the country has "moved away from a monocultural form of forestry".
This claim was rejected immediately by People Before Profit - Solidarity (PBP) TD, Richard Boyd Barrett.
The Taoiseach responded: "More recent plans are much more towards broadleaf trees and a proper mixture. We need commercial forestry as well. Deputy [Paul] Murphy called it for-profit forestry.
"We need timber. Timber-frame housing is more climate-friendly than cement.
"We need a better balance. We cannot just ridicule forestry for profit. We need a commercial forestry sector. We also need greater biodiversity and varied plantations of trees," the Taoiseach said.
PBP TD, Paul Murphy expressed his belief that Storm Éowyn exposed "the lack of resilience in our monocultural forestry model".
According to Deputy Murphy, this situation is set to get worse due to the closure of Coillte Nature.
Murphy said: "In Orwellian fashion, Coillte claims that scrapping Coillte Nature will allow it to reach its climate and biodiversity targets.
"Is this to be done through the Nature Trust, which sells woodland credits to companies in return for investment in planting?
"Coillte tries to inspire confidence by claiming that this is not a carbon offsetting programme but Bank of Ireland, which developed the Nature Trust woodland credit scheme, describes it as 'a carbon offsetting social enterprise'.
"It is clear where the 'Minister for sitka spruce, Michael Healy-Rae's emphasis is. Blatant greenwashing and forestry for profit is not going to avert the climate and biodiversity catastrophes that we face," he added.
