One can hardly put sufficient emphasis on the great importance of forestry. We realise, as the Minister will clearly admit, that forestry and the important work of afforestation will not pay immediate or early dividends. This has been very clearly demonstrated in the statement the Minister made here last night in connection with the fact that Irish timber is in general use in the building trade and that the building trade are coming to recognise that Irish-grown products, properly handled and seasoned, are equal to any of the imported grades.
It must be borne in mind that the timber to which the Minister is now referring was planted many years ago when the initial stages of forestry were undertaken by the Cumann na nGaedheal Government. It shows very clearly the wisdom and the sound judgment of that Government that we have now reached the stage at which our own timber, properly seasoned and in fit condition, can be used in the building trade for constructional purposes. I hope this trend will continue.
The Minister cannot blow his trumpet too loudly in praise of the activities of the Forestry Division because he knows quite well as does every member of this House that, until the period during which Deputy Blowick was Minister for Lands, Forestry was completely at a standstill. The inter-Party Government revived Forestry. They put new life into afforestation.
When the Minister tells the House that the target for the State-planting programme this season is 25,000 acres, one might well ask how that comes about. Is the Minister trying to convey that it is as a result of the policy of the present Government that forestry has made such headway? Is it not a fact that the inter-Party Government made it possible for the Minister to make that declaration here yesterday? All down through the years, the great difficulty in connection with forestry was the acquisition of suitable lands. That question usually cropped up in regard to the presentation of the right and the proper type of title to the lands. The inter-Party Government simplified matters. They made it easier for the Forestry Division to acquire lands. They made matters easier for the vendor anxious to transfer his lands for forestry purposes.
The Supplementary Estimate goes on to deal with the fact that extra expenditure in travelling has been occasioned by the additional progress made in Forestry. It is right to say, and the evidence is there in my constituency— probably more so in my constituency than in any constituency in Ireland with the exception of Wicklow—that a vast amount of very valuable and useful work in Forestry has been carried out. Forestry is one of the greatest works that can be undertaken by any Government.
It is not too encouraging to hear that the total number of men employed by the Forestry Division is 4,800. We all know that a far greater amount of labour can be absorbed. I recommend the Minister to direct the attention of his inspectors and foresters to the still vast amount of land available which the owners are anxious to give to the Forestry Division for planting. Bearing in mind that the Forestry Division are not too generous in their payment for land, it is amazing that so many landowners are anxious to sell. Probably in some cases the land is of poor quality but would be suitable for afforestation, particularly when it adjoins existing forest centres. Every encouragement should be given by the Minister to his Department to enter into negotiations with such landowners to acquire the land by agreement with the least possible delay so that the development work that must be undertaken in respect of the erection of suitable fences, the proper drainage of the land and preparation for planting may commence as soon as possible.
There are many people who feel that if you put a plant into the ground to-day there should be profitable results from it at an early date. Thinning operations require a certain amount of training and skill on the part of the workers. I am glad to say that we have in this country as highly-trained and highly-skilled foresters as are to be found in any country. I take this opportunity to pay a tribute to our highly-technical and fully-qualified foresters. We can proudly boast that no Forestry Department in the world has a better staff of technical men than we have.
I have often wondered if, due to the extra expenditure referred to in this Supplementary Estimate, some of the officers of the Minister's Department are engaged in negotiations with Bord na Móna which has an extensive bog development programme. I have often been puzzled too why there was not a greater measure of co-operation between the Forestry Division and Bord na Móna so that one would be working at the same time as the other. There is a time of the year when Bord na Móna find it impossible to retain the services of their men. At the time Bord na Móna would be letting their temporary workers go, they could immediately be turned over to Forestry where they could be engaged on the preparation of lands for planting or on road making.