Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014
236. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide copies of all the correspondence between the Government shareholders and Coillte since 1989; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35362/14]
View answerCoillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and came into operation on 1 January 1989. There has been significant interaction between the company and its parent Departments over the intervening 25 years, ranging from operational issues such as applications for felling licences under the Forestry Act 1946 to obligations under the Forestry Act 1988 and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. It should also be noted that, as Coillte is a commercial company operating in a competitive environment, some of the correspondence may be confidential and commercially sensitive. In view of the volume of records, and the sensitivity of some of the records, it is not possible to provide all of the correspondence sought. However, if the Deputy would like to indicate any particular correspondence, I will ask my officials to locate the records, determine whether they may be provided and to do so if appropriate.
