asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that many acres of cut-away forestry land on the Winter estate, Agher, Enfield, County Meath, which is under the control of the Land Commission, are overrun with scrub and briars, and whether it is intended to have this land replanted; and, if so, when the work will be commenced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Development of Forestry.
The area in question is 25 acres of which 21 acres will be replanted at an early date.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the position regarding the survey carried out by the forestry branch on the Arkinson estate and the Buddicum estate and on the lands of Letterkeen in North Mayo, and the acreage of this land suitable for afforestation which his Department intend to acquire and in what areas they intend to carry out the first part of their scheme.
Practically all the lands on the Buddicum estate and in Letterkeen are, in their present state, unplantable and could only be regarded as suitable for experimental planting after extensive soil and drainage preparation. At the moment the urgent necessity is land that is readily plantable.
The Arkinson estate cannot be identified in my Department.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state when he proposes to take steps to develop afforestation in West Cork.
Steps have been taken already to develop afforestation in West Cork. The results of recent activities in land acquisition in the area are not yet apparent, as the acquisition and development of suitable land is a slow process and there does not appear to be any widespread desire to offer lands for forestry in the district.
Can the Minister say what has happened with regard to the land offered to his Department in the Ballyvourney area, to which reference was made in this House on a previous occasion?
The offer in Ballyvourney is promising and it is expected that operations will commence there in the near future.
Can the Minister give any figures as to the area of the land acquired?
Not at the moment.
That is a separate question.