asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he is aware that native Irish timber from our forests is being sold at £1 per cubic foot for processing in Northern Ireland and Sweden and that this is current practice in Border areas while our own workers are unemployed; and the action he proposes to take in the matter.
Written Answers. - Timber Sales.
457.
I presume the Deputy has pulpwood size timber in mind and that the price reference was intended to relate to a cubic metre rather than a cubic foot.
While, in the absence in recent years of adequate home outlets, pulpwood for export to the places mentioned has been selling at £1 per cubic metre, I would point out that this relates to timber standing in the forests and that it has, in fact, provided valuable employment in the spheres of harvesting and haulage.
However, it is expected that such sales will be substantially phased out after the new medium density fibreboard plant at Clonmel comes into production later this year; some limited exports may continue to be necessary as regards pulpwood from areas outside economic haulage distance from Clonmel or the existing pulp-processing mill at Scarriff.