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Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2013

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Questions (417)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

417. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will produce a cost benefit analysis on the sale of Coillte's harvesting rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13715/13]

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Written answers

Further to the Government’s decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be considered for sale, the National Treasury Management Agency, via its NewERA Unit, has been actively engaged with Coillte, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department to examine the financial and other implications of a potential transaction. Substantial work has been undertaken to date on the identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed sale of the harvesting rights.

As part of the process, a number of detailed financial, technical and other specialist reports were prepared for Coillte, by external specialist consultancy bodies, in full consultation with the Board of Coillte and its executive management. As Coillte is a commercial company trading in a competitive environment, matters relating to the performance of its various businesses and its portfolio are commercially sensitive, and it is therefore not appropriate, at this point in time, to make public the analysis conducted to date. The outcome of the overall analysis will be considered by the Government upon its conclusion; no decision has been taken as yet.

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