asked the Minister for Lands whether, in view of the limited pool of land on hands for forestry purposes in County Kerry, he will now take special steps to invite offers of suitable lands by means of appropriate advertisements in local papers and, where offers are made, to arrange that negotiations are entered into with the landowners without undue delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Forestry Lands.
Should publicity be required on an intensive basis this will be arranged. At present the acquisition position in County Kerry is reasonably satisfactory.
The total area acquired for forestry in the county in 1957-58 was 2,868 acres, a rate of acquisition that was exceeded in only one other county in the country. This figure compares with 332 acres in 1955-56 and 244 acres in 1956-57.
Does the Minister agree that in South Kerry there have been offers of suitable land, in fact, more than the Forestry Department can arrange for at present, and does the question put down by my respected colleague from North Kerry mean that he wants the whole of Kerry, planted so that we will have no people there, only hares, foxes, rabbits and perhaps woods, eventually?