asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (1) how much land has been offered for afforestation purposes in the district of Ballingeary; (2) how much has actually been acquired; (3) to what extent has afforestation been started on the lands acquired; and (4) if the work on the schemes now in hand will be completed before any new areas are acquired in that district.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation in Ballingeary District.
asked the Minister for Lands whether he has received a resolution, passed at a meeting composed of representatives of all political Parties held at Ballingeary on the 15th June, regretting the delay of his Department in promoting afforestation in the district, and urging that work of this nature should be begun forthwith in Coomroe so as to relieve a portion of the unemployment in the area, and if he can state what, if any, land has been acquired or is in course of acquisition for the purpose of afforestation in the Ballingeary area.
asked the Minister for Lands if he has received a copy of a resolution adopted unanimously by a meeting of representatives of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour, held at Ballingeary, regarding the lack of progress in dealing with the question of afforestation in this district, and the delay of three or four years required to complete negotiations, and urging that instead of seeking to purchase new areas, negotiations in connection with existing schemes be definitely concluded and work be forthwith begun on Coomroe, which, in itself, constitutes an economic area, and to ask what action the Minister proposes to take relative to this resolution.
I propose to take together, as relating to the same matter, the questions asked respectively by Deputies Eamonn O'Neill, Daniel O'Leary and James M. Burke, in regard to afforestation work in the Ballingeary district. Approximately 2,000 acres have been offered to the Department for forestry purposes in the Ballingeary district. Of this area, one holding containing about 450 acres is not suitable for afforestation, and of the remaining 1,550 acres, a considerable portion has been found to be unplantable. As regards the lands at Coomroe referred to by Deputies, the owners have refused to accept the prices offered. It is anticipated, however, that it will be possible at an early date to issue revised offers in these particular cases, and to make at the same time offers for other lands in the district. The proceedings in the matter have been protracted owing to the fact that so large a proportion of the lands mentioned to the Department as being for sale is unplantable, and it has, therefore, been necessary to have wider investigation made in the hope of obtaining sufficient plantable land to justify the formation of a new forestry centre in the district. The representations to which the Deputies refer have been received, and steps will be taken to complete negotiations as early as possible. Forestry operations cannot be commenced until the lands have been acquired.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that negotiations have been going on for three or four years in connection with these lands?
As I have already indicated in my reply, I am aware of the fact that negotiations have been going on for some considerable time. Ex-Senator Keyes has been endeavouring to bring about a settlement in the matter. Of course, there is an inspector in the district this week, and it is hoped that there will be no further delay in the matter.