The answers to all the questions from No. 16 to 23, except No. 18, are in the form of tabular statements which, with the permission of the Deputies, I should like to circulate with the Official Reports.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation.
If Ministers and Deputies will look at Standing Order No. 35 they will find that it is by permission of the Ceann Comhairle that questions are so answered.
I assume I have your permission?
Very good.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state, in respect of the predominant varieties of trees planted by the Forestry Division of his Department during the past six years, the acreage so planted, and the average number of trees planted per acre.
The predominant varieties of trees planted by the Forestry Division are grouped as (1) spruces, (2) larches, (3) pines and other conifers, and (4) hardwoods.
The areas planted during the past six years are as follows:—
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
Total |
|
|
Acres |
Acres |
Acres |
Acres |
Acres |
|
|
1939/40 |
2,480 |
1,180 |
2,250 |
905 |
6,815 |
|
1940/41 |
2,981 |
764 |
1,343 |
873 |
5,961 |
|
1941/42 |
2,141 |
370 |
1,258 |
713 |
4,482 |
|
1942/43 |
1,510 |
461 |
1,756 |
591 |
4,318 |
|
1943/44 |
1,444 |
521 |
1,387 |
670 |
4,022 |
|
1944/45 |
1,206 |
996 |
1,438 |
590 |
4,230 |
The average number of trees planted per acre works out at 1,793.
It should be understood that the different species are not usually planted pure but in mixtures. The areas given above represent those which the different groupings would have covered if planted pure and at the usual number per acre, which varies with the species.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state, in respect of each Gaeltacht area (a) the acreage acquired by the Forestry Division of his Department during the last six years; (b) the area of afforested lands at present in each such area, and (c) the proportion which the afforested land bears to the land surface of each Gaeltacht area.
The acreage acquired by the Forestry Division in the Gaeltacht areas during the past six years (1939/40 to 1944/45) is as follows:—
|
County |
Area Acquired in Gaeltacht |
|
|
Cork |
1,880½ |
acres |
|
Donegal |
— |
|
|
Galway |
2,494½ |
,, |
|
Kerry |
2½ |
,, |
|
Waterford |
1,778¼ |
,, |
|
Clare |
— |
|
|
Mayo |
— |
|
|
TOTAL |
6,155¾ |
,, |
The areas of planted land in the hands of the Forestry Division in the Gaeltacht portions of these counties and the percentages they represent are:—
|
County |
Area Acres |
% of Total Gaeltacht area |
|
Clare |
— |
0.00 |
|
Cork |
3,242 |
0.70 |
|
Donegal |
1,018 |
0.16 |
|
Galway |
9,021 |
0.92 |
|
Kerry |
450 |
0.16 |
|
Mayo |
— |
0.00 |
|
Waterford |
6,627 |
1.00 |
|
20,358 |
The percentages are only approximate, but are as accurate as can be done in the time and with the small scale maps available. It has to be pointed out that this question and reply deal only with land in the hands of the forestry division.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state, in respect of each county (a) the area of land held by the Forestry Division of his Department, and (b) the area of such land actually planted with commercial timber.
On 31st March, 1945, the latest date for which complete figures are available, the position was as under:—
|
County |
Total Area Held by Forestry Division |
Area Actually planted |
|
acres |
acres |
|
|
Carlow |
1,066 |
480 |
|
Cavan |
2,442 ¾ |
2,254 ½ |
|
Clare |
4,909 ½ |
3,035 |
|
Cork |
18,088 ¾ |
11,128 ¾ |
|
Donegal |
5,779 ¾ |
2,959 ¾ |
|
Dublin |
2,988 ½ |
1,441 ¾ |
|
Galway |
17,363 ½ |
11,619 ½ |
|
Kerry |
2,580 ¾ |
2,060 ½ |
|
Kildare |
1,124 ½ |
1,025 ¼ |
|
Kilkenny |
7,542 |
6,640 ¼ |
|
Leitrim |
1,348 |
927 ¼ |
|
Leix |
12,196 ¾ |
8,499 ¼ |
|
Limerick |
3,114 |
2,315 |
|
Longford |
1,234 ¾ |
1,142 |
|
Louth |
2,298 ½ |
1,535 ¼ |
|
Mayo |
1,934 ¼ |
1,120 |
|
Meath |
131 |
114 ¼ |
|
Monaghan |
1,527 |
1,446 ¾ |
|
Offaly |
4,426 |
2,215 ¾ |
|
Roscommon |
2,003 ½ |
1,327 ¾ |
|
Sligo |
4,272 |
1,324 |
|
Tipperary |
19,111 ¾ |
14,460 ½ |
|
Waterford |
14,582 |
9,854 ¼ |
|
Westmeath |
1,913 |
1,542 ½ |
|
Wexford |
8,829 ¾ |
7,157 ½ |
|
Wicklow |
30,188 ½ |
19,699 ¾ |
|
TOTAL |
172,997 ½ |
117,326 |
The area given as planted includes both young and old plantations.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (a) the total area of afforested land under the control of his Department; (b) the area acquired for forestry purposes during each of the years 1923 to 1945 inclusive, and (c) the acreage planted during each of the years 1923 to 1945 inclusive.
On 31st March, 1945, the latest date for which complete figures are available, the total area of afforested land under the control of the Forestry Division was 117,326¼ acres.
The areas acquired for forestry purposes during the period, 1923 to 1945, were as under:—
|
Acres |
Acres |
||
|
1923/24 |
3,861 |
1934/35 |
18,156 ½ |
|
1924/25 |
1935/36 |
15,541 ¾ |
|
|
1925/26 |
3,765 |
1936/37 |
9,740 ½ |
|
1926/27 |
1,854 |
1937/38 |
13,712 ¾ |
|
1927/28 |
3,836 ¼ |
1938/39 |
7,513 ½ |
|
1928/29 |
1,531 ¼ |
1939/40 |
12,722 |
|
1929/30 |
6,553 ¾ |
1940/41 |
7,986 |
|
1930/31 |
2,794 ¾ |
1941/42 |
11,050 |
|
1931/32 |
4,312 ¾ |
1942/43 |
9,654 |
|
1932/33 |
3,613 ¼ |
1943/44 |
4,160 |
|
1933/34 |
6,984 ¼ |
1944/45 |
3,307 ¼ |
The acreages planted during the same period were:—
|
Acres |
Acres |
||
|
1923/24 |
1,176 |
1934/35 |
5,511 |
|
1924/25 |
2,210 |
1935/36 |
6,919 |
|
1925/26 |
3,053 |
1936/37 |
7,321 |
|
1926/27 |
2,908 |
1937/38 |
7,388 ¾ |
|
1927/28 |
3,435 ½ |
1938/39 |
7,603 ¼ |
|
1928/29 |
3,466 ¾ |
1939/40 |
6,815 ¼ |
|
1929/30 |
3,068 ¾ |
1940/41 |
5,961 |
|
1930/31 |
3,565 |
1941/42 |
4,482 ¼ |
|
1931/32 |
3,645 ¾ |
1942/43 |
4,318 ¼ |
|
1932/33 |
3,564 ¼ |
1943/44 |
4,022 |
|
1933/34 |
4,179 ½ |
1944/45 |
4,230 ½ |
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the total sums (a) advanced, and (b) outstanding, in respect of grants and loans made to landowners for purposes of afforestation during the period 1923 to 1945.
No sums are advanced by way of loan to landowners for purposes of afforestation. The amounts set out beneath have been paid by way of free grants:—
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
£ |
s. |
d. |
||
|
1923/24 |
65 |
15 |
11 |
1934/35 |
313 |
5 |
0 |
|
1924/25 |
455 |
4 |
9 |
1935/36 |
474 |
15 |
0 |
|
1925/26 |
790 |
14 |
6 |
1936/37 |
558 |
5 |
0 |
|
1926/27 |
299 |
2 |
5 |
1937/38 |
663 |
10 |
0 |
|
1927/28 |
301 |
1 |
3 |
1938/39 |
582 |
0 |
0 |
|
1928/29 |
226 |
17 |
5 |
1939/40 |
539 |
5 |
0 |
|
1929/30 |
95 |
7 |
6 |
1940/41 |
476 |
0 |
0 |
|
1930/31 |
100 |
11 |
0 |
1941/42 |
496 |
15 |
0 |
|
1931/32 |
339 |
5 |
0 |
1942/43 |
375 |
15 |
0 |
|
1932/33 |
425 |
3 |
5 |
1943/44 |
1,412 |
0 |
0 |
|
1933/34 |
353 |
4 |
3 |
1944/45 |
571 |
15 |
0 |
These free grants are paid in instalments, the first instalment when planting has been completed and the others at intervals provided the plantations have been properly maintained in the interim. Instalments of planting grants yet to be paid, provided the conditions of the grants are fulfilled, total £850 approximately.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state, in respect of each of the last five years (a) the number of persons to whom licences were issued authorising them to fell timber; (b) the number of such licences issued in respect of State forests and woodlands, and (c) the number of trees felled under authority of licences issued by him.
Particulars are given beneath of the number of licences issued during each of the past five years, in respect of the felling of trees on the applicants' own holdings, together with particulars of the number of trees covered by such licences. Felling licences are not issued in respect of trees on the State forest lands.
|
No. of Licences issued |
Nos. of trees covered by Licences issued |
||
|
1940/41 |
1,293 |
562,212 |
plus |
|
107 |
acres |
||
|
1941/42 |
1,938 |
549,883 |
|
|
1942/43 |
1,916 |
557,308 |
|
|
1943/44 |
2,126 |
517,714 |
plus |
|
628½ |
acres |
||
|
1944/45 |
1,475 |
366,151 |
plus |
|
244 |
acres |
I am not in a position to state how many of the trees, in respect of which felling licences were issued, have actually been felled.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (a) the number of felling licences issued by him during the last five years to which a condition requiring the planting of other trees in lieu of those cut was attached, and (b) the number of trees planted in accordance with such conditions.
The numbers of licences, containing replanting conditions, issued during the last five years are as follows:—
|
1940/41 |
835 |
|
1941/42 |
1,640 |
|
1942/43 |
1,626 |
|
1943/44 |
1,772 |
|
1944/45 |
1,240 |
The numbers of trees planted so far in accordance with the terms of these licences are as under:—
|
1940/41 |
400,678 |
|
1941/42 |
517,761 |
|
1942/43 |
380,530 |
|
1943/44 |
154,300 |
|
1944/45 |
6,650 |
A period of at least 12 months after felling must be allowed for replanting. A very large number of trees have yet to be planted to comply with the conditions of the licences issued. The circumstances prevailing during recent years as regards supplies of wire netting and of plants have greatly slowed up replanting operations.