I move:—
Go ndeontar suim Bhreise ná raghaidh thar £10 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1938, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí i dtaobh Foraoiseachta (9 agus 10 Geo. 5, c. 58; agus Uimh. 34 de 1928), maraon le Deontas-i-gCabhair chun Tailimh do Thógaint.
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1938, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Forestry (9 and 10 Geo. 5, c. 58, and No. 34 of 1928), including a Grant-in-Aid for the Acquisition of Land.
A Forestry Bureau has been recently established by the Commonwealth Governments on the same lines as the existing Agricultural Bureaux maintained by them. This country, with the approval of the Dáil, has been a contributory member of these Agricultural Bureaux for some eight years past, and it is considered that great advantages will be derived from association with the new Forestry Bureau. Our membership will involve a yearly contribution of £93 15s. 0d. for five years. The contribution for the current financial year can be met to the extent of £84 out of savings on other sub-heads of the Vote, leaving a balance of £10 to be provided. This Supplementary Estimate is being introduced for the purposes of meeting the balance, and of obtaining approval for the expenditure as a whole.
The establishment of the Commonwealth Forestry Bureau followed a decision taken at a Commonwealth scientific conference held in London in September, 1936, for the purpose of reviewing the work done by the Agricultural Bureaux and Institutes. The conference was attended by representatives of this country, and the annual contribution of £93 15s. 0d. decided upon as our appropriate share of the total annual cost of the bureaux amounting to approximately £3,000, was fixed on a pro rata basis similar to that which applies to the contributions made to other institutions of a similar kind.
Our State Forestry Service is not yet fully organised, and there are numerous problems of a technical nature requiring study and development. For example, there are special problems relating to soils, and to the treatment of growing wood; problems relating to fungi and insect pests, etc., as well as the general scientific problems of sylviculture and of the utilisation of forest produce. These matters are of the greatest importance, and up-to-date and reliable information in respect of them is essential.
There is no scientific journal available in this country dealing with the various technical aspects of forestry. The Forestry Bureau will deal with the general literature affecting all branches of forestry, and will collect and collate information on all matters relating to afforestation, and will circulate useful extracts from scientific journals and publications. This information will be most useful, not only to the Forestry Service, but to the Government itself.
