asked the Minister for Lands if, instead of selling timber for wood pulp, he will consider setting up a pulping-plant which would fill a national need.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Erection of Pulping Plant.
The answer is in the negative. I have no information which would lead me to believe that private enterprise is not in a position to take up the native supplies available for pulping.
Are we to take it that the policy is not to process in this country any wood or any thinnings grown by the Forestry Department?
I am unable to agree with the Deputy's rather far-fetched conclusion. The Deputy knows from his experience that the Department sells thinnings for pulping to well-established concerns in this country. The demand of the more important of these is somewhat sporadic, being governed to a large extent by the fluctuation of the market for their products. These firms went into the pulping business on an informal indication by the Department of Lands that adequate material to keep their plants employed would be available. In my judgment, it would be a serious matter if the Department, at least without very much greater consideration than has been given to the question up to the present, were to go into the pulping business on its own account.
Would the Minister say if there is a ready demand for all the thinnings from forests located in Wicklow and Wexford?
I have just said that the demand is rather sporadic.
Is the Minister aware that the position of wood pulp in the world market has become extremely difficult and that importers have to buy without fixing prices? In these circumstances will he not consider whether the matter is not worthy of consideration?
The matter is being considered but we are not in a position to go into the pulping industry on the same scale as countries where afforestation is a huge natural resource.
The question was prompted by the fact that the Minister's Department advertised for sale 75,000 trees suitable for pulping. In these circumstances, I wondered if the matter was worth exploring.
The matter has been considered.