asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the up-to-date position regarding the utilisation of forest thinnings; the amounts exported in 1980; and the plans, if any, to process these in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forest Thinnings.
14.
The closure of some processing mills which utilised pulpwood has caused a temporary surplus in the availability of thinnings from State forests. In the interests of maintaining employment and developing expertise in the harvesting sector some thinnings have been made available for export. It is understood that 24,000 metric tonnes were exported in 1980.
This is a temporary measure and my Department in co-operation with the Industrial Development Authority have been in contact with a number of processors with a view to the establishment of a mill here which, together with existing users of thinnings, would utilise the entire production of our forests at home.
At what price per tonne is the timber being sold at?
The price we are getting is something in the region of £1 per tonne.
How can the Minister justify that?
We have 300,000 or 400,000 tonnes of that available to anyone who needs it here. We exported 24,000 tonnes so there is plenty left for anyone who wants it. If a person gets in touch with us or with the local forester and is prepared to cut it there is no difficulty in meeting any home requirements.
Surely it would be more beneficial to the citizens if that timber were sold as fuel rather than being given away for £1 a tonne. It is criminal.
A question.
What alternatives are being set up?
Nobody was worried about this timber when it had to be felled and had to go to waste when we had 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes available per year. When we exported a small quantity everyone woke up to the value of it. It is still there. My Department utilise their resources to cut it and sell it at £22 a tonne, cut up in blocks at the roadside but if anyone wishes to take it and thin it according to the requirements of the forester it is available to him at the same price that it is available to others.
I wish that were made generally known because I know of instances where people have had considerable difficulty in getting timber from foresters. Is the Minister aware that the reason for the surplus is because plants in Athy and the Munster Chipboard in Waterford have closed down during the term of office of this Government? That is why we are exporting it for £1 a tonne. What measures are being introduced to provide alternative processing industries?
The Government are substantially grant-aiding the last processing firm that we have and in the course of a few months or less we will have very good news with regard to this.
The Minister must be aware that the main problem is that all the processing plants have closed down, except the one he mentioned now, which is in financial difficulties. Surely the first priority must be to get new processing plants into the country? The Minister's predecessor promised two years ago that there would be one in operation eighteen months ago. This is the main problem.
This is a statement. We will never get through Questions this way.
Timber is being sold at £1 per ton regardless of who gets it.
I am aware of this. I did not come into Question Time to be aware of it. I visited the United States and two firms there in the fall of last year. One of those firms is actively involved with the IDA.
Were plans formulated in the Minister's Department, when the forests were created, to deal with thinnings? What were those plans?
I presume the plans were formulated at a time when we had four factories processing timber here, but because of changes in the world market and changing trends three of those closed down. They were adequate to meet our needs. Now, because in the last two years we have had difficulty in disposing of thinnings, we have made contingency plans which will be processed within two years.
Question No. 15 has been postponed.
Would it not be better to give the timber away to the poor rather than sell it abroad?
The Chair is being totally ignored at Question Time. I am calling Question No. 16.
(Interruptions).