Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2018
54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the communications he has had with Coillte in view of the reported problems with the forestry partnership project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7008/18]
View answerCoillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the Coillte Farm Partnership Scheme, are the responsibility of the company.
The company has, since its meeting with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on 12 December, provided my Department with general briefing about farm partnership contracts entered into between the company and landowners. Coillte is party to a number of farm partnership agreements that have been signed with c. 630 individual farm partners. These partnership schemes were offered to private landowners between 1993 and 2012. In total 7 schemes were offered over this period.
The company has also updated my Department on the actions it is taking in response to concerns about certain contracts and to improve its communications with their farm partners. My colleague, Minister of State Andrew Doyle, TD, who has special responsibility for forestry met with Coillte on Tuesday, 6th February 2018, at which Coillte provided a comprehensive update.
Coillte has also informed the Department that they wrote to all its farm partners in December last informing them that it had put in place a dedicated phone line to provide support for its farm partners. My understanding is that the number of partnerships which have outstanding issues are less than ten which is very small relative to the overall number in the schemes. I also understand that Coillte is satisfied that there are no cases where farmers have not been paid what they are due and is also satisfied that it is fulfilling all of its contractual obligations. Coillte is engaging with each partner to resolve any other issues on a case by case basis. I am satisfied that these will be resolved in due course and that it should be left now to both partners in the agreements to resolve them together.
