asked the Minister for Lands if, with a view to encouraging local authorities to plant more trees and so enable them to give more remunerative and economic employment, he will consider the transfer of suitable State forests and land for afforestation from central control to the local authorities under the supervision of departmental officials, if necessary by introducing legislation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Planting by Local Authorities.
I am not prepared to consider this suggestion. I informed the Deputy in reply to a similar question on 22nd May, 1957, that I did not consider that there was any case for the delegation of responsibility for a major part of the national afforestation programme to local authorities and I am still of that opinion.
Is the Minister satisfied that the present central control system is producing the necessary results and will he not consider at least partial transfer to local authority control?
I would prefer as far as possible to delegate as much authority to district inspectors, to give them the maximum amount of initiative in their operations and, so far as I know, that has reached a point that is reasonable under present circumstances.