13 Feb 2012, 17:13
The Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture will be briefed tomorrow 14 February Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. On the agenda will be the development of forestry in Ireland.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Andrew Doyle TD said: “Unleashing the benefits of forestry has the potential for significant economic, social and environmental positives for Ireland. The Committee looks forward to a detailed briefing from the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, including social and environmental functions of a sustainable forestry industry, which are sometimes elusive to quantify.
“The total national forest estate comprises about one tenth of land area of the country and employs about 16,000 people, in predominantly rural communities. The Committee will be keen to explore with Minister McEntee the role that forestry can play in Ireland’s economic recovery.”
The meeting takes place in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000, at 2pm tomorrow Tuesday 14 February.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
Ends
For further information contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies
Tom Barry, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Pat Deering, Fine Gael
Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael
Martin Ferris, Sinn Fein
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Martin Heydon, Fine Gael
Colm Keaveney, Labour Party
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Michael McNamara, Labour Party
Michael Moynihan, Fianna Fail
Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fail
John O’Mahony, Fine Gael
Ann Phelan, Labour Party
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Senators
Michael Comiskey
Paschal Mooney
Pat O’Neill
Mary Ann O’Brien
Brian Ó Domhnaill
John Whelan