Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Dec 1984

Vol. 354 No. 11

Written Answers. - Timber Imports.

585.

Mr. Enright

asked the Taoiseach the total volume of timber which was imported into Ireland for each of the past five years; and the different varieties and the countries of origin of these products.

The Taoiseach

I propose to circulate statements giving the information requested by the Deputy:

Following are the statements.

Imports of Timber (000 tonnes)

Year

1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
372	288	301	249	225

Varieties of Timber Imported.

(tonnes)

Description	Year
1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Fuel Wood, Wood waste inclusing sawdust	1,000	686	171	55	86
Wood Charcoal	108	63	172	118	115
Wood in the rough	36,504	13,583	21,365	14,641	3,768
Wood roughly squared, or half squared, but not further manufactured	6,307	5,867	6,253	3,477	4,542
of which
Coniferous wood	4,301	4,777	4,222	2,551	4,016
Wood sawn lengthwise, sliced or peeled, but not further prepared, of a thickness exceeding 5 mm	320,733	260,641	268,043	223,933	206,284
of which
Small boards for the manufacture of pencils	216	88	—	—	—
Coniferous wood of a length of 125 cm or less and of a thickness of less than 12.5 mm	1,575	44	167	26	54
Other:
Tropical hardwood	41,614	42,838	51,148	44,624	41,169
Coniferous wood	268,464	211,544	209,634	172,564	157,044
Other wood	8,864	6,127	7,094	6,719	8,017
Railway or Tramway Sleepers of Wood	1,081	2,879	1,955	1,896	1,016
Wood planed, tongued, grooved, rebated, chamfered, V-Jointed, beaded, or the like but not further manufactured	5,765	3,867	3,380	4,813	8,931
of which
Coniferous wood	4,238	3,129	2,603	3,763	8,126

Countries of Origin of Timber Imports.

(tonnes)

Country	Year
1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Finland	141,646	94,441	103,408	80,796	61,693
Sweden	76,573	51,639	49,959	58,580	59,121
Ivory Coast	22,692	23,515	36,191	29,611	30,022
USSR	15,441	12,609	5,036	13,370	19,453
Canada	56,417	48,375	56,347	19,116	9,183
Norway	7,181	6,876	8,036	8,799	8,905
Brazil	12,918	11,739	13,816	11,085	8,557
Northern Ireland	6,160	7,275	6,208	4,174	7,535
USA	4,117	3,958	3,113	3,909	4,478
Great Britain	8,221	6,337	5,693	5,216	3,033
Other Countries	20,132	20,822	13,532	14,277	12,762

586.

Mr. Enright

asked the Taoiseach the total cost of timber products imported into Ireland for each of the past five years.

The Taoiseach

The following table shows the information requested by the Deputy:

Imports of Timber Products.

£000

Descriptions	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Wood Manufactures (excluding furniture)	35,231	36,213	45,693	41,632	41,583
Furniture of wood	20,646	24,487	29,255	28,974	26,277