A super junior minister at the Department of Agriculture has denied that a board to oversee the delivery of a new forestry policy is just a talking shop.
The forestry sector, which employs around 800 people in Kerry, is currently in crisis due to a backlog in the appeals process for felling licences.
Around 2,000 people in Kerry own forestry.
The Department of Agriculture recently launched Project Woodland to address the issues in the sector and its board met this week
Minister of State Pippa Hackett told Agritime that it is not just the licensing issue that the board will be looking at.
The Green Party Senator says the success of Project Woodland depends on all stakeholders coming together:
Meanwhile, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture says a new food ombudsman should be in place this year.
There have been ongoing calls from farmers and producers for more transparency within the food chain but they have warned that any new position must have the necessary powers.
Pippa Hackett says the ground work is underway in advance of a food ombudsman office being established:
