I move:—
That a sum, not exceeding £152,580, be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 1945, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Forestry (9 & 10 Geo. 5, c. 58, and No. 34 of 1928), including certain Grants-in-Aid.
In introducing the Estimate for this Vote last year, reference was made to the difficulties which war conditions had placed in the way of forestry operations. Developments during the past 12 months have not improved the position. Attempts to secure supplies of rabbit-netting from America have been unsuccessful. In fact some 5,000 rolls manufactured there to the order of the Forestry Division have been taken for war purposes by the American Government, and there is no prospect of securing additional supplies anywhere. In these circumstances, it is pleasing to be able to record that the planting programme last winter has been maintained at nearly the figure of the preceding winter, 4,318 acres. Efforts will be made to maintain the planting programme next winter in the neighbourhood of 4,000 acres, but it is extremely doubtful whether this can be done unless circumstances change for the better. The restrictions on planting affect the present time and the immediate future, whereas the extent to which seed sowing in the nurseries can be carried out affects the extent of planting programmes some years hence.
The purchase of seed is becoming increasingly difficult. Some seed is being purchased in Canada and the United States and it is hoped that it will arrive in time for sowing this season. Supplies are also being secured from Scotland. They have been looked for in Spain and Switzerland and we shall possibly get a little from Switzerland. The collection of homegrown seed has been extended as much as possible and a total of 35,000 lb. of seed of the following varieties is anticipated: Japanese larch, Norway spruce, silver fir, Scots pine, oak, beech, ash, sycamore, etc.
The net Estimate for the current year represents a decrease of £7,053 as compared with the total provision for the year 1943-44. There is a substantial decrease in the provision for the acquisition of land. This is accounted for by a general unwillingness at present to dispose of lands of any value for grazing and by the carrying forward of a considerable sum from the current year in the Land Acquisition Fund. There is also a decrease in the amount to be provided for travelling expenses following the completion of the field work on the census of woodlands undertaken on behalf of the Department of Supplies.
The decrease in the provision for the acquisition of land must not be taken as indicating that it is not proposed to continue acquisition at the most rapid possible rate. My Department is anxious to build up the greatest possible reserve of land in anticipation of an accelerated rate of planting when conditions return to normal. Offers of land for sale are not coming in at the same rate as in previous years and in many cases where land has been inspected and valued the owners have refused a price considered to represent its maximum value for forestry purposes. Nevertheless, the forestry division has succeeded during the past year in acquiring over 5,000 acres of land which, though small, is at least sufficient to replace in the reserve the area planted up during the past planting season.
The census of woodlands is approaching completion. The work in the field has been finished and the checking and compilation of the returns is well advanced. The complete results will be available within a few months and will enable the Department of Supplies, or the Department of Industry and Commerce, to judge whether further restrictions on the use of timber are necessary in view of the fact that bulky cargoes such as timber are not likely to be available immediately after the cessation of hostilities even if imports of other materials are more rapidly resumed.
In dealing with the provision required under the different sub-heads of the Vote, as set out in the printed Estimates, it is proposed to refer only in detail to those items which show an appreciable difference as compared with the preceding year.
With regard to sub-head A—Salaries, Wages and Allowances—amounting to £23,463, the increase required under this sub-head is due to the appointment of three additional forestry inspectors and by additional bonus to the lower paid staff which is offset to some extent by a reduction in the clerical staff employed upon the compilation of the census of timber. The provision under sub-head B—Travelling and Subsistence Allowances—of £4,500, shows an appreciable decrease due to the completion of the field work on the census which necessitated constant travelling upon the part of the outdoor officers.
Sub-head C (1)—Acquisition of Land: Grant-in-Aid, £10,000—shows a reduction of £20,000 as compared with last year. As already explained, this is not due to any policy of restricting purchases of land for forestry, the aim being quite the opposite, but to certain temporary factors such as the high returns which are being secured from sheep grazing. The abnormal demand for sheep is making owners of rough mountain grazings reluctant to sell at all or, at any rate, to sell at a figure commensurate with the value of land for forestry purposes. Another operative factor is the diminution in the rate at which the Land Commission is able to purchase estates. A considerable area of land not suited to agriculture but suitable for forestry is normally secured in this way. A further restriction on land acquisition during the past two years was the devotion to work on the timber census of the services of about half of the available senior technical officers. With the termination of that work it will be possible to concentrate greater attention on the task of securing additional offers of land and of dealing more expeditiously with the inspection and valuation of any offers on hand or that may be received in future.
It is anticipated that a balance of about £50,000 will be carried over in the Land Acquisition Fund from the year 1943/44 and this, with the addition of the provision of £10,000 now asked for, should be sufficient to provide for probable acquisitions during the year, but, if it should be found necessary, the Dáil will be requested to provide additional funds for this purpose later in the year. At present the Forestry Division is committed, subject to the usual legal formalities, to the purchase of 10,593 acres at a cost of £27,110 from private landowners and of 4,479 acres at a cost of £12,760 from the Land Commission. In addition, negotiations are in an advanced stage for the acquisition from private owners of additional areas totalling 3,556 acres and negotiations are in progress with the Land Commission for the purchase of about 4,447 acres. These offers are of course in addition to any new offers that may be received during the present year.
It may not be out of place to stress once again that for the purposes of economic forestry, it is necessary that State forests should consist of blocks of sufficient extent to keep the costs of fencing, cultivation and supervision within an economic limit. The acquisition and planting of small detached areas or long and narrow strips with excessive lengths of boundary is not economic. Once, however, a sufficiently large area has been obtained in any district it is frequently possible to add small areas either immediately adjoining the larger blocks, or in close proximity thereto, which could not otherwise be considered for purchase.
Sub-head C (2)—Maintenance and Cultural Operations—amounts to £167,290. The provision required under this sub-head is practically the same as was provided last year. The increased wages payable to the forestry workers as compared with the earlier part of last year is offset by probable reduction in expenditure on materials and to the probable completion early in the year of the second scheme arranged with the Department of Supplies for the supply of firewood to Fuel Importers Ltd. It is estimated that when this scheme is finished about 105,000 tons of firewood will have been put into Fuel Importers' dumps in Dublin, Cork, Wexford, Waterford, Limerick and Dundalk. This with schemes for the supply of about 20,000 tons to the Dublin Corporation and 8,000 tons to the Department of Defence has made great inroads into the stocks of firewood timber in the State forests. It is unlikely that any further appreciable quantities can be provided and whatever is left over will probably have to be reserved for local requirements.
Nursery operations are being extended, as far as seed requirements can be met, with a view to the provision of adequate stocks of transplants for increased planting programmes when the present state of emergency has passed and conditions become normal. Though the outlook is not very hopeful it is still possible that a fair quantity of seed may be procured. In order to make up for deficiencies the aid of some woodland owners who have suitable trees and of some timber merchants who were known to be felling trees of good quality has been enlisted with promising results.
Sub-head C (3)—Timber Conversion —amounts to £8,948. The provision made under this sub-head is in respect of the working of four fixed mills and ten portable crosscutting outfits. Of the fixed mills, two, those at Dundrum, County Tipperary, and Cong, County Mayo, are continuously worked and are engaged in the cutting of timber for local requirements and the manufacture of fencing posts, gates, etc., for the Department's own use; the mill at Avondale, County Wicklow, is used mainly for the training of forestry apprentices, and the mill at Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, is only occasionally employed on the preparation of fencing materials for the Department's own use. The portable crosscutting outfits are being utilised, at various centres, turning out firewood blocks from scrub and inferior timber of various sorts. Part of the output has to be retained for transmission to Dublin and the remainder is sold locally.
The demand for firewood is everywhere very keen, but the supply is not unlimited and sales have to be restricted to a small quantity to each purchaser. Additional engines were ordered last year, partly to replace some that have been in continual use for years and are showing signs of failing, and partly for the manufacture of new outfits, but it does not appear likely that delivery will be obtained.
I move to report progress.