Liam Kavanagh
Question:298 Mr. Kavanagh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether his Department had engaged the services of an engineering consultant in 1989 to advise on matters relating to the proposed sale of land at Glending, County Wicklow, in 1990; if the consultant's written report in 1990 advised the invitations of offers by tender for the sale of this property; whether it was known at all relevant times, and at the highest levels of his Department, that there were two competing companies (details supplied) expressing strong interest in acquiring the land; if a decision was made at the highest levels of his Department not to offer the land for sale by tender but to agree a private sale with one of the companies; if the contract of sale for the property stipulated as a condition of granting a felling licence in relation to the trees at Glending Wood that such a licence was to be conditional upon such development taking place in accordance with the appropriate planning permission issued by the local authority; whether a felling licence subsequently issued by his Department in January 1992 made no reference to a requirement for planning permission; the reason the advice to offer the land for sale by tender was overruled and by whom in view of the foregoing; the way in which the contractual condition regarding a felling licence subject to planning permission was overlooked; and his views on whether the company purchasing the land at Glending was advantaged by these decisions in view of widespread public concern in County Wicklow about the manner in which this sale of a State asset to the private commercial sector was conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9657/97]