asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that there is a large number of farmers in County Longford who are anxious to undertake the planting of timber on suitable plots of land and if he will consider giving a grant of, say, five pounds per acre to assist them in fencing, etc., the said land; and if he is aware that such grants would greatly assist the energetic farmers and labourers who are unemployed in the districts where such work is proposed, and if he is further aware that the amount of land involved in each case is from five to 20 acres.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Timber Planting in County Longford.
Grants are available from the Forestry Division of the Department of Lands towards the cost of establishing new plantations with a minimum of five acres at the rate of £4 per acre payable as follows:—
£2 per acre as soon as the plantation has been laid down and properly fenced.
£1 per acre in five years' time provided the plantation has been properly looked after.
The balance (£1) to be paid at the end of another five years on the same condition.
Any person, therefore, who wishes to avail himself of such grant should make application to the Department of Lands (Forestry Division).
The Parliamentary Secretary refers to five acres as the minimum. The Minister actually maintains that five acres would hardly be an economic proposition, but that anything from ten to 20 acres is economic. Will the Parliamentary Secretary not consider extending the grant so as to facilitate the planting of areas from ten to 25 acres in extent?
The obvious intention is to provide shelter belts around the holding. That is quite distinct from the national forestry scheme in connection with which 300 acres are regarded as the minimum area, if the proposition is to be an economic one.