asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware of the forestry form of tender in Great Britain providing for a five year price, with up and down variation related to world price index for lumber, for logs from State forests; and whether he will consider suitable adaptation of this system for forestry output here.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tenders for Forestry Output.
I am familiar with the various forms of tender used by the British Forestry Commission. So far as timber of sawlog size is concerned their methods of sale and the general conditions under which their purchasers operate are similar in all respects to the terms and conditions applying here. It is only in their form of agreement for the sale of peeled pit-props that a price variation clause operates, the sale price being adjusted by reference to the price negotiated periodically between the National coal Board and the Federated Home Timber Associations. Material of pit-prop size sold from our State forests is generally marketed in mixture with material which has a possible use for boxboard manufacture or which may be used for pulpwood and a price related to British pit-prop prices would have no valid application here.
Is the Minister aware that a difficulty arises for Irish saw-mill proprietors who use movable saw-mill installations? Unless they can arrive at a contract period long enough to justify the erection of saw-mill facilities in a position suitable for the forests where they have purchased timber, it is frequently quite uneconomic for them to bid for timber at the State forests if it means carting the timber from that forest to the site of their permanent mill. In view of that fact, will the Minister look into the question as to whether contracts could not be taken for timber in a particular forest on a five-year contract with the proviso that if there was an——
The Deputy is making an argument.
——unexpected alteration in the world price of timber that factor would operate?
I shall ask the Minister to look into the matter.
Is the Minister aware that, at present, the Department of Lands is not getting the benefit of the competition that ought to exist when tenders are being made by saw-mill proprietors for timber?