Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2023
369. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what measures are in place to encourage bodies (details supplied) to sell unplantable land to young farmers and new entrants to agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49363/23]
View answerCoillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988, and is operationally independent from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Coillte has a multi-faceted role as the State's forestry company. Part of this is the responsibility, as a commercial state body not in receipt of funding from the exchequer, to act commercially and make dividend payments to the State. Land sales are part of this business model, and I am assured that Coillte considers each request to sell land on its individual merits.
As a state owned enterprise, the company is also subject to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. Coillte operates in compliance with section 8.34 of the Code of Practice, which requires that disposals of land above a value of €150,000 should be by auction or competitive tendering process, other than in exceptional circumstances.
A Shareholder letter of Expectation issued to Coillte on 2nd June 2022. It is published on my Department's website and available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/forestry-policy-and-strategy/#coillte-shareholder-letter-of-expectation. This letter clearly outlines the Shareholder's requirements and views, including in relation to land sales, where Coillte is advised to consider as broad a range of factors as possible, including the biodiversity, amenity and heritage value of each individual site before making a site available for sale.
