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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Illegal dumping funding

Summary

Senator Coghlan welcomed extra funding to combat illegal dumping and backed naming and shaming offenders. The Chair said the Leader would address the issue later.

I welcome the doubling of funding, from €650,000 to €1.3 million, that is being provided to aid the crackdown on illegal dumping throughout the country, which is wrecking many lovely, beautiful spots in various counties. I am glad the Minister, Deputy Naughten, acted quickly in doubling this funding because I know the Department is swamped with requests from local authorities and community groups in this regard. Some time ago I suggested that these people be properly named and shamed. If that requires amending legislation, so be it. At a minimum, these people's names should be posted on the websites of the council and the Department. That would act as a further deterrent. I know this funding is a preventative measure, but it is an important starting point to be followed, please God, by further robust and strong-handed measures to tackle this illegal scourge. Perhaps in time the Leader would consider bringing the Minister, Deputy Naughten, to the House to update us on how his proposals are working.

Comment on this

I wish to raise only one issue, which relates to Coillte. We know that Coillte has 390,000 ha under forestry in this State. That is an enormous natural and national asset and resource, and it is very important. There has been great discussion on the possibility of elements of Coillte being privatised or sold off. We know that there are a further 90,000 ha dedicated to biodiversity, or non-core forestry activity, which is a vast amount of land. As I say, this is a very rich natural and national resource and asset. It is important to have the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, in the House at some stage in the future to have a debate about forestry - where it is going, what plans there are for it and the greater vision for forestry for the next two to three years. He is very committed to the forestry sector. He lives in Wicklow himself.

Will the Leader consider the possibility of extending the time for the Minister, currently scheduled from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., by an extra 15 minutes? One does not need to be a mathematician to know that there are a number of people in the House who will speak. If one person from every group speaks, including one or two of the other Independent Members who are not aligned to any group, 60 minutes will not be sufficient for all speakers and a response from the Minister. It is physically not possible to have one person from each group and the two non-aligned Independent Members speak for eight minutes and have the Minister respond, all within 60 minutes as the Leader is proposing. Could we even get 15 minutes, if possible? We will clearly not have eight minutes and we will be talking in a jam jar. The Minister will not have an opportunity to respond. That really is not satisfactory. If it is at all possible, can we have an extension, possibly by 15 minutes, just to facilitate meaningful debate?

Comment on this
Denis O'Donovan An Cathaoirleach Fianna Fáil

I will let the Leader deal with that when he responds.

Comment on this