Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1986

Vol. 370 No. 13

Written Answers. - Committee on Public Expenditure Recommendations.

146.

asked the Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry if he has adopted any of the recommendations of the published reports of the Dáil Committee on Public Expenditure in relation to his Department and, if so, if he will specify the extent of the adoption of each report.

147.

asked the Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry if he will list the names of all reports of the Dáil Committee on Public Expenditure relating to his Department; and if he will outline specifically, clearly and comprehensively the action taken to date with regard to each individual recommendation of such reports.

148.

asked the Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry the action which has been taken on the recommendations contained in the report of the Committee on Public Expenditure regarding State support and services to the fishing industry.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 146, 147 and 148 together.

Two reports of the committee on Public Expenditure relate to the functions of my Department. These are the Review of State Expenditure on the Forestry and Wildlife Service, and the report on State Support and Services to the Fishing Industry.

As regards the report on the Forest and Wildlife Service (FWS), some of the recommendations relating to the establishment of a management and reporting system, a review of the marketing of timber and the establishment of new accounting procedures fall to be considered in the context of (a) such reorganisation of the FWS as may be undertaken on the recommendations of the Forestry Review Group which have been under examination by my Department, and (b) implementation of the Government's White Paper on the Public Service. With regard to the recommendations on private forestry, I had already, prior to the committee's report, decided to continue headage payments to farmers who afforest all or part of their holdings. During the past year also two pilot projects aimed at increasing private afforestation were prepared in consultation with my Department by ACOT, AFT and the ICOS and submitted to the EEC for consideration for financial assistance. The remaining recommendations of the committee will where feasible be considered in the context of on-going policy reviews.

The recommendations of the report on the fishing industry have been under examination in the context of the preparation of the White Paper on the fishing industry which I hope to publish in the new year.

Top
Share