asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the acreage of land offerred to the Forestry Division for afforestation purposes in North Tipperary and the amount accepted and acquired; and when it is likely that the remaining lands will be taken over.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation in North Tipperary.
18.
The total productive area held by the Forestry Division at the four Forests in North Tipperary on 31st March, 1959, was 7,311 acres of which a total of 5,754 acres was actually planted, leaving a plantable reserve of 1,557 acres. The planting programme for the area for the current year totals 1,066 acres.
The total productive area acquired in North Tipperary in 1958/59 was 890 acres.
Statistics for lands on offer for forestry are not kept on a constituency basis and I can only give the Deputy figures for County Tipperary as a whole. At a recent date the total area on offer to the Forestry Division in this County which has been inspected was 11,592 acres, consisting of 149 separate lots. Sales had been closed and possession was pending in respect of 5 cases totalling 339 acres, offers had been accepted and title was in course of clearance in 37 cases totalling 2,270 acres, negotiations had been opened for the purchase of 38 areas totalling 2,034 acres and further investigations were in progress in 69 cases totalling 6,949 acres. In addition there were a number of cases at the preliminary stages of investigation.