Noonan welcomes clarification from Coillte regarding County Cork tree-felling

The Green Party has today welcomed clarification from Coillte regarding large scale illegal tree felling in Knockbrack in County Cork.

Speaking following communication with Coillte, Senator Malcolm Noonan, Green Party Spokesperson for Nature, Heritage and Agriculture said that he welcomed the proactive role taken by Coillte in their investigation regarding the tree felling at the site.

"I acknowledge that Coillte had absolutely no knowledge of or involvement in what was illegal tree felling activity on privately owned lands and had previously refused access to their forest road by an individual seeking access to the private land. Furthermore Coillte followed all due protocol once it had been established that state lands had been trespassed upon to access the private lands."

Senator Noonan said that the destruction of mature woodlands during the nesting season has been of considerable upset to all who care for nature.

"I welcome the fact that NPWS, Coillte and the Department of Agriculture are all conducting their own investigations of this awful incident. Illegal tree felling and habitat destruction are wildlife crimes and there are serious consequences to persons convicted of such activity.

I appreciate the update from Coillte on the matter and am fully supportive of their efforts and that of other agencies to establish the facts around this case. We are in the depths of a global biodiversity crisis and we have a collective responsibility in Ireland to restore nature, not to destroy it."