asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the area of land which will be planted privately in 1981 and 1982; and the success achieved by the Forestry Section of his Department in attracting private investment in forestry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Afforestation.
44.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The area of private planting in the 1981 planting season was 591 acres (239 hectares). It is not possible at this stage, in advance of applications for planting grants, to say what the corresponding figure for the 1982 season, now getting under way, will be.
Generally speaking, the contribution by the private sector to the national afforestation programme over the years has been disappointing, despite encouragement from my Department by way of a planting grants scheme and a free technical advisory service. However, I am confident that, as a result of an improvement in the grants structure and also the recent coming into operation of the afforestation measures in the EEC Western Package, the situation will show substantial improvement in the years ahead.
Does the Minister agree that with the percentage of private planting in Ireland being the lowest in Europe something must be wrong, not all with the private planters? Will the Minister verify if he has yet succeeded in overcoming the reluctance in the Department to involve huge sums of money from private sources who are prepared to invest in forestry? Has the Minister made any progress in encouraging private investment from pension funds and other funds in private forestry or semi-mature forests?
(Cavan-Monaghan): The point raised by the Deputy is outside the scope of the question. The Deputy has in mind the question of privatisation but as he knows from his recent experience in this Department this is under consideration and no specific offers or arrangements have been made.
Is the Minister aware that offers were made during my term of office of sums running in the region of £10 million for forestry? Is he aware that there is a reluctance in the Department to avail of this and co-operate with such people? Has the Minister succeeded in overcoming this reluctance?
(Cavan-Monaghan): I am aware that during the period of office of the last Government £10 million was not regarded as being a huge sum of money and this was bandied about frequently. The question about privatisation is completely new in forestry and it involves long term and serious consideration. I do not agree that there is a reluctance on the part of the Department to entertain or give it serious consideration or to try to work out a scheme that will be feasible and in the interest of afforestation in general. That is exactly what we have done. The Deputy will probably agree with me that it is not something that can be done in a hurry.
Would the Minister consider a year to be a hurry?
(Cavan-Monaghan): I am against delays. But here we have a proposal to share a valuable national resource with the private sector. Before that is done the whole matter should be considered in depth and the best possible scheme worked out that would be in the interests of the nation and in the interests of forestry. There will not be any undue delay about it.