asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the plans, if any, to increase grants available for private afforestation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Afforestation Grants.
11.
Substantial increases in the levels of private planting grants were introduced by me as recently as the beginning of last year. While there are no immediate plans for a further increase the situation is being kept under review.
Would the Minister have information available to him on how these grants compare with comparable ones in Britain, if they are as good as those available in Britain?
Oh, they are. The latest increase we gave brings them up to the British level—they were not before that. I gave them an increase last year and they are now at the same level as the British. But of course, even in a year costs have gone up and I am thinking very seriously now of granting a further increase. I am very keen on encouraging private planting efforts; it is an important development.
As part of the economic planning in which his Department are engaged has the Minister any target proportion of total forestry in private hands that he would wish to attain in, say, five or ten years?
Actually we are working towards something of that kind. At present we have some propositions which are of very great interest involving co-operation between finance houses and farmers, groups of farmers or cooperatives, in the financing of such planting. If these talks come to fruition, which I hope they will fairly shortly, I will be announcing a scheme on the lines mentioned by the Deputy which will set definite targets and offer incentives for that type of scheme. Candidly I think we have been very neglectful of private planting here over the years.