Blood On Our Hands

Buying illicit timber funds violent regimes and causes global warming – and Ireland is the EU’s worst offender.

29th April 2010

Irish Times - http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0429/1224269286779.html

EU member states import large quantities of illegally logged timber and wood-based products “with complete impunity”, according to Tom Roche of Just Forests, who has been a passionate voice in the wilderness on this issue for years. “An estimated 60 per cent of all tropical timber used in this country is deemed to be of illegal origin.”

Roche went so far as to stage a brief hunger strike to highlight the shameful fact uncertified tropical timber was used in furnishing the public offices of Irish Aid on O’Connell Street, Dublin. He thought it made no sense to dispense aid to developing countries if, at the same time, we’re importing large quantities of illicit timber from them.

According to Irish Times correspondent Frank McDonald writing on Ireland's role in the illegal logging trade.