asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the area and location of lands which have been acquired by the Forestry Section for afforestation purposes in County Kerry, and the area and location of land to be acquired during the present year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Forestry Lands.
57.
The total productive area held by the Forestry Division of my Department at the seven State Forests in Co. Kerry is 10,498 acres. Of this a total of 7,428 acres has been planted to date leaving a reserve of 3,070 acres available for planting. The planting programme for the county for the current season totals 886 acres.
As regards progress with the acquisition of land for planting in Co. Kerry, 6 areas totalling 702 acres were acquired in the county in the first six months of the current financial year. At a recent date offers had been accepted in 18 other cases involving a total area of 2,300 acres and title was in course of clearance; negotiations were in progress for the purchase of 35 areas totalling 4,526 acres and there were 146 cases with a total area of 14,570 acres at the preliminary stages of investigation. All these cases will be expedited as much as possible.
The areas acquired in the balance of this year will be those which will be taken over after completion of title investigations. I could not anticipate what period of time would be required for title clearance on any individual sale and so cannot give the particulars sought in the final part of the Deputy's question.