asked the Minister for Fisheries if he is investigating the possibility of more intense afforestation along the east coast, in view of the job and resource implications; and the progress in this regard in the last 12 months.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - East Coast Afforestation .
5.
: The expansion of State afforestation on the east coast, as elsewhere in the country, depends on the acquisition of suitable lands for planting.
Every effort is made in all parts of the country to continue to acquire the requisite lands to support the State's large planting programme.
So far as private planting is concerned the Deputy is no doubt aware that I announced earlier this year substantial increases in the grants payable by my Department.
: Does the Minister have any proposals to acquire land in the area referred to? Is there any land bank for this type of afforestation in the possession of his Department?
: We do not look at afforestation development in that sort of country or regional manner. It is done on a national basis. However, I have particulars here of what is proposed in Counties Louth, Meath, Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford and I will certainly give the Deputy the information by letter. It would take a while to read it out. I have it here as additional information.
: I assume the Minister accepts the possibilities of jobs, in this and in other spin-off areas, in an expanded programme of intensive afforestation. What steps have been taken by the Department over and above the programme which has been going on for years? What other measures has the Minister introduced to ensure a high degree of progress in this area?
: The most important area is the added value area of industrial employment related to the timber cropping that is likely to come in hand inside the next 12 to 18 months. I am awaiting the results of a study by the IDA on industrial outlets in this area and what the State should do to stimulate private enterprise.
: Will there not be any extra measures taken until those reviews are terminated?
: It is essential for the State to do something to absorb the timber that is coming on hand.
: May I take it from what the Minister has said that there are proposals for a big improvement in the amount of land to be planted by his Department in Louth, Meath, Dublin and Wicklow, as he has just said, because it does not coincide with what he said in this House a week ago in reply to me?
: I did not say that. I will make available to the Deputy the particulars in regard to the proposed planting in the counties referred to. I would see, though, that the future planning and organisation of forestry resources, now that we have a substantial amount of timber coming on stream, will be in the area of the industrialisation and the utilisation aspect of those resources. This is what I said to the Deputy some weeks ago.
: Yes, but what the Minister said to Deputy Keating just now was that the proposals were for Louth, Meath, Dublin and Wicklow and the Minister told me a few weeks ago that there were no useful additional jobs in afforestation at that level. Either there are or there are not.
: We are talking about two different things. I will make available to Deputy Keating and to Deputy Tully the facts in regard to proposed planting areas in the counties referred to but I did say to the Deputy some weeks ago, and I stand over it, that there will not be a substantial increase in employment in forestry in the planting area compared with the real substantial potential in the industrial area of utilising forest products. It is to that area we must look in future in regard to employment prospects.
: I do not want acrimonious debate on this but I want to point out that the Minister did say that there were no extra jobs in forestry at planting level. I know what the proposals are as well as the Minister does, and there are no extra jobs in planting.
: What I am saying is that there are obviously no substantial job increases in the planting area, which has become highly mechanised, and if we are looking for substantial job increases in the whole afforestation area we must look to the added value, the utilisation of timber products.
: How can you have extra timber without extra planting? I am not sure the Minister can see the wood for the trees.
: That is a bit trite.