asked the Minister for Lands if in view of the unemployment in the areas he will send a senior inspector to report on the lands —over 1,000 acres—in Dromulton, Glounonea, Gleanamaddra and in Cordal (East Kerry) which were offered to the Forestry Branch with a view to the possibility of creating a forestry centre in these areas
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Suggested Forestry Centre in East Kerry.
The lands offered for sale in the district in question have already been inspected. They are all in scattered lots and are mainly unplantable and it has not been found possible up to the present to secure an offer of land to form a reasonably compact block including a fair proportion of plantable land. Moreover, the prices asked by the owners are either considerably in excess of the price usually paid for forestry land, or the owners require in exchange areas of better land elsewhere.
In view of the present pressure of forestry work, it is not possible to spare the time of a senior inspector to go over the ground again and to endeavour to secure other offers, but the question will have further attention when conditions improve.