asked the Minister for Lands why 16 married men with dependent families were discharged from the State forestry station at Dundrum, County Tipperary, and whether he will consider offering alternative employment to the men concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discharge of Tipperary Forestry Workers.
Ten forestry labourers, six of them married, were recently laid off at Dundrum forest because there was no longer work available for them. In selecting the men to be laid off, due regard was had to length of service, domestic circumstances, etc. Six carters employed under contract also ceased employment in like circumstances.
There is no plantable reserve at this forest and until further land is acquired in the area, I could not hold out hope of re-employment of any of these men by the Department. There should be, however, an increase in local employment in the felling and extraction of thinnings bought from the Department.
Is the Minister aware that trees are being sold there in the standard and not felled, as suggested? Will the Minister consider urging on the departmental officials there that the timber should be felled by the Department's own men? If that is done, these men will come back into employment.
As I have just told Deputy Crowe, no mature commercial timber is sold there for the simple reason that the needs of the sawmill require all the available mature timber in forests within a radius of 45 miles of the mill. Thinnings are sold standing, or, if I may put it, on the hoof. The Deputy seems to be under a misconception about the sale of mature timber. All the mature timber over a considerable distance is required for the mill. The mill is going full blast all the time.
If I might point out, the only hope of increasing employment in Dundrum would be by having more planting. Because Dundrum forest is situated largely in an arable area I do not see much hope of suitable land coming in and there is, therefore, no possibility of extending without encroaching on agricultural land. It is most unlikely that that will be done. Apart from the economic point of view, it would not be good management.