asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the acreage offered to his Department for afforestation purposes in West Galway, and the names of the townlands concerned; and if he will make a statement on the future of afforestation in that area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation in West Galway.
As I informed the Deputy in reply to a previous question on 7th May, 1957, I am not a in a position to furnish separate figures for Galway West.
The present position for County Galway as a whole is that my Department has on hands a total of 256 offers of land for forestry purposes. The total area involved is 32,064 acres.
As regards the future of afforestation in Galway West, I can say that my Department's immediate plans envisage the continuance of planting operations over the next three or four years. Further expansion of forestry operations in the region must, of course, be dependent on the rate of intake of suitable forestry land and this in turn will depend upon the success or failure of planting already undertaken.