Austin Currie
Ceist:47 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the ESRI recommendation that a new timber processing facility should be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Timber Supplies.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:68 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the ESRI recommendation that a new timber processing facility should be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Avril Doyle
Ceist:85 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the ESRI recommendation that a new timber processing facility should be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 68 and 85 together.
The increasing availability of timber supplies merits the establishment of further processing capacity and Government policy continues to be geared towards the establishment of such additional capacity.
The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the potential for downstream employment for processing forest output. That programme clearly signals the availability of sufficient raw material for expansion of existing fibre-board plants and the development of a new oriented strand board plant.
The House is already aware of discussions now underway between Coillte Teoranta and Louisiana Pacific in relation to the establishment of an oriented strand board plant in this country and I remain confident that these discussions will yield a successful outcome in the near future.