Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 December 2013
152. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will respond to the Woodland League in calling for the report of the review of Coillte, initiated by the last Government in 2010, to be made public; if he will suspend the passing of the new Forestry Bill until that document is made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53331/13]
View answerAs the Deputy has indicated, a review of Coillte was undertaken on foot of a commitment in the previous Government’s Renewed Programme for Government. While significant work was undertaken in 2010 by an interdepartmental group dealing exclusively with the role, functions and operations of Coillte, the deliberations were superseded by the Government Decisions in 2012 in relation to the sale of state assets which encompasses Coillte and it is not my intention to publish the outcome of that, review.
I wish to advise that the purpose of the Forestry Bill is to reform and update the legislative framework relating to forestry in order to support the development of a modern forestry sector – it is not directly related to Coillte. The Second Stage debate on the Forestry Bill, 2013 was completed in Dáil Éireann on 27th November 2013 and the Bill was referred to the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
