asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (1) the total area of lands taken over for forestry purposes in the North Kerry Dáil constituency and the acreage taken over at each centre, (2) the total acreage planted there within the past 25 years, and (3) the acreage at present on offer to the forestry branch; and further, whether the forestry branch will consider further offers of land for forestry purposes, and, if so, if he will indicate generally the type of lands and the areas that are considered suitable.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North Kerry Forestry Lands.
The total area held by the forestry division in North Kerry is 867 acres, of which a total of 619 acres is classified as productive. The total area planted to date is 612 acres. All the land held in the area is attached to Brosna forest.
As regards prospects for further expansion, I must state that acquisition statistics are kept on a county basis and I am unable, therefore, to supply figures for part of County Kerry as requested by the Deputy. The position for the county as a whole is that there are at present 218 areas totalling 26,507 acres on offer to my Department for afforestation purposes.
My Department will be glad to consider any further offers of land that may be forthcoming. Most of the land acquired is that normally regarded as waste or sub-standard land from an agricultural standpoint. It is desirable that each offer or group of offers should comprise as large and as compact a block as possible, but special factors, such as proximity to existing forest lands or the commencement of forestry operations in a new district where prospects of further expansion are good, may render the acquisition of comparatively small areas a practical proposition. Without inspection, it would not be possible to pronounce on the suitability or otherwise of any land offered.