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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Feb 1949

Vol. 114 No. 4

Committee on Finance. - Vote 53—Forestry.

I move:—

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £65,345 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1949, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Forestry (No. 13 of 1946), including a Grant-in-Aid for Acquisition of Land.

This Supplementary Estimate is necessary to provide mainly for increases in the wages of forestry labourers, unforeseen when the Estimates for the year were being drawn up, additional fencing, planting and thinning and the purchase of additional supplies of fencing materials.

In March, 1948, the wages of agricultural labourers were increased by 5/-a week and the pay of forestry workers was correspondingly increased. Following the further increase in the agricultural wage rates last month the pay of forestry labourers is again being increased. Wage increases account for £27,750 of the Supplementary Estimate.

Additional fencing work was necessary during the year to make up arrears which had accumulated owing to the shortage of fencing materials. Since the outbreak of war the greatest difficulty has been experienced in obtaining supplies of rabbit netting, barbed wire, etc., and such planting operations as were carried out were only made possible by using up the stocks in hand, lifting old wire and taking certain risks in planting without full protection. It was only towards the end of the year 1947-48 that supplies began to come to hand in sufficient quantity to enable arrears of fencing to be undertaken and that item accounts for £2,500.

During the emergency period thinning operations had to be postponed in some areas due to the pressure of work on fuel schemes and the difficulty of securing sufficient labour. It is essential that thinning operations should be brought up to date to meet the sylvicultural requirements of the forests and it was possible to overtake more arrears during the present financial year than were estimated for before the year commenced.

At the beginning of this financial year it was anticipated that the maximum planting programme would not exceed 6,000 acres. As Deputies are aware a planting programme of 10,000 acres a year was contemplated, but had not been attained, before the war disrupted supplies and caused a diminution in the area planted annually. Supply difficulties in regard to fencing and plants have now been largely overcome for the time being and the Forestry Division hopes to plant approximately 8,800 acres this season. If that figure be reached it will be the highest yet attained. The Supplementary Estimate makes provision for approximately £22,000 additional to the original Estimate allowance for thinning and planting.

The Supplementary Estimate also includes the sum of £24,000 for the accumulation of reserve stocks of fencing materials which came on offer unexpectedly, and which it was considered essential, in present world conditions, to purchase.

The balance of the money asked for (£11,000) is for extra payments of cartage and freight in respect of work carried out last spring on fuel supply schemes and for additional travelling expenses. Some large freight accounts were not received in time for payment during the last financial year.

Receipts in respect of sales of timber which are expected to exceed the Estimate by £10,000, and savings under other sub-heads to the extent of £12,000, are being utilised to reduce the amount asked for to a net figure of £65,345.

Vote put and agreed to.
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