asked the Minister for Lands the acreage of land acquired for forestry in the year ended 31st December, 1974; its location; and the average price per acre.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Land.
5.
(Cavan): There were 428 separate acquisitions during the period and it would involve disproportionate expenditure of staff time to detail the location of each individual offer. The total area acquired amounted to 25,342 acres and the average price was £16 per acre.
Does the Minister think that an average price of £16 per acre for land for forestry is a reasonable price at this day? Is he aware that the number employed in forestry is rapidly diminishing because people are not prepared to sell land to the forestry section for afforestation because the price is not adequate?
(Cavan): The question put down by Deputy Leonard deals with the area of land acquired. The price given is an average price and it varies from over £70 per acre down to as little as a few pounds an acre for very inferior land. The land acquired for forestry is, by and large, land that is not useful for any other purpose. I do not accept that there is unemployment in the forestry section in recent times—this does not arise on the question. Over the past ten years or so fewer people may have been employed in forestry than previously, but that is due to the introduction of mechanical appliances such as tractors and also to weed-killing substances and things of that kind that have reduced the necessity for employing as many people as previously.
I want to ask a specific question. Is the Minister satisfied that a maximum of £70 per acre is adequate? I do not accept that all the lands the forestry section acquire are not suitable for anything else. They are acquiring mountain areas that have been used for sheep-rearing over a long period which farmers are very reluctant to sell. Is the Minister satisfied that a maximum of £70 an acre is high enough?
(Cavan): Within the last few years, since the advent of the EEC, it has been more difficult to get land for forestry because farmers are inclined to hold on to it to decide whether they can reclaim it and graze animals on it or not and, of course, the market price for land of this type is always under review and if it is necessary to increase it it will be increased.
Is the Minister satisfied that the 25,000 acres acquired is adequate or can it be improved?
The Deputy has asked that question on a number of occasions.
The Minister has not answered that part of my question.
(Cavan): It so happens that the area acquired last year is approximately the amount of the target set for planting each year—25,000 acres. I explained in the House on a few occasions that there is a land bank available to the Department which will ensure that we can reach the target for some years to come.