Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 November 2012
212. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is forestry land for sale in County Donegal owned by Coillte or the State; his plans for the sale of forestry lands owned by Coillte within the State; if he will reiterate the promise made at the McGill summer school in 2012 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53406/12]
View answerI understand that Coillte is selling forestry land in Co. Donegal by public tender. This transaction is an operational matter at the discretion of the company and is separate from the Government decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale. Under that process, the identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed harvesting rights concession are at an advanced stage. I wish to confirm that, as announced by the Government in February 2012, this consideration about the sale of some forestry assets of Coillte excludes the sale of land.
