I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach attended the summit, which is to be acknowledged. Is the Taoiseach confident that Ireland can achieve the 5 GW of installed offshore wind generation by 2030, which is the Government's own target? Is he confident that upon the establishment of the maritime agency, the marine area consents that would give effect to the potential for offshore wind will be realised? There is a massive opportunity in our native Cork for sites like the Verolme dockyard to be staging posts to service …

I do not think you can nationalise wind.

We need more consents. If we line up more consents then that would -----

I ask Members to extend a warm céad míle fáilte to the new US Ambassador, H.E. Ms Claire D. Cronin, who is in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. You are very welcome, Ambassador Cronin. We are delighted to have your presence.

I understand Deputies McDonald, Brady and Mac Lochlainn are sharing their time.

I am anxious to facilitate the Deputy's colleague, because it is Deputy Mac Lochlainn's time which the Deputy is eating into.

As I do not see Deputy Durkan, I will move on to Deputy Connolly who has five minutes.

As we are within time, I propose to give Deputy Durkan five minutes.

The Government is in possession. I am given to understand from the list in front of me that Deputy McGuinness is scheduled to speak. As he is not present, I will move to Sinn Féin and Deputy Patricia Ryan.

My question is more thematic in the sense that we are focusing heavily now on afforestation targets and the toolkit that is the dashboard. It has become the tool everybody now uses as the benchmark for progress on afforestation targets. The increase in the cost of living and the cost of inputs was alluded to earlier and concerns around fertiliser are also wrapped up in this question. Has the Minister now abandoned the afforestation target of 8,000 ha per year? That is ultimately the question I wish to hear answered…

I invite the Minister of State to give us her personal perspective on afforestation. I would be delighted to hear it.

I thank the Minister of State for her answer. The announcement of a target of 1,040 licences for 2022 indicates to me that the forest service has abandoned the target of planting 8,000 ha this year. Tracking back over the numbers from recent years, the issuing of 1,040 licences would result in the planning of only 4,000 ha. I am not convinced, as the Minister of State is, that all of the stakeholders through Project Woodland are as enthusiastic about the future of forestry policy. I think some of those stakeholders…

I put it to the Minister of State, however, that the lack of ambition here is disappointing. I mean that genuinely.

I do not doubt that the Minister of State is extremely genuine in what she seeks to achieve. There is no doubt about that in my mind. Dare I suggest, respectfully, there is a level of granularity that needs to be worked through. That must be acknowledged. The Minister of State said the Department will reach the 8,000 ha target this year. That remains to be seen. I suggest respectfully that the stakeholders are not seeing the reality of that in the issuance of new afforestation licences. The proof of that is in the …

There are six minutes left in the slot left and I was conscious of leaving the Deputy's colleague, Deputy O Murchú, enough time and giving the Deputy an opportunity to wind down his contribution. The Deputy is well within his time-----

------but this is just to ensure that the three speakers have time in the slot. I call Deputy Ó Murchú.

I raise this issue because I am extremely concerned that the Department is now pulling back community welfare services where they are delivered in face-to-face settings in the most local of centres, particularly in rural areas. Based on what I have heard so far, my fear is that the Minister is not renewing any leases that her Department may have had with the HSE for the delivery of these services in what were called traditional dispensaries or health centres. What is the Minister’s position on this matter?

I am trying to listen carefully to the language of the Minister's reply. I am not reassured by it. The premise on which I base my question is the right of the citizen to interact face to face with an officer. I am asking the Minister for clarification because I am hearing that her Department is not renewing leases in respect of certain traditional centres such as health centres which delivered in community and in the most rural areas. Is that the case? All Deputies represent the poorest and the most vulnerable. We …

Again I ask the Minister if it is her Department's intention not to renew leases with the HSE. It is one Department renewing with a Government agency like the HSE, State to State. Is it factually the case that the Minister is not renewing those leases with the HSE in respect of the delivery of services in certain centres around the country?

I will be brief. Firstly, I support the amendment. It is a laudable one and worthy of support. Certainly, the Labour Party seeks to speak in support of the amendment. When the climate action Bill was before us we sought to put forward amendments to provide for specific sectoral targets for afforestation. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications refused to accept those amendments. It was disappointing to say the least. We thought it would have been quite an obvious thing for the Minister, Deputy …