Vol. 452 No. 8
83 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on the need, identified by the Irish forestry industry, for a doubling of current expenditure spent on research and development; if he will make a commitment to further Government expenditure in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8800/95]
My Department in conjunction with the European Commission funds an extensive research and development programme covering the various sectors of the forest industry ranging from nursery techniques to end product development of the sawmilling and wood-based panel sectors. Other bodies such as Coillte Teoranta, the universities and the industry itself also provide funding for research and development.
I regard expenditure on forestry research as being essential for the future of the sector. This is all the more important given that forestry investment now stands at record levels.
Forestry research funded by my Department in 1993, the base year used in the recommendation referred to in the question, was £0.925 million. My Department's budget for such expenditure in 1995 is £1.6 million, an increase of more than 70 per cent. With regard to future expenditure in forestry research, as with all areas of Government expenditure, this can only be decided on in the context of the annual Estimates. I will keep this matter under continuous review, although it will be clear from the data I have given that substantial progress has already been made in the area within my control. While I have no role in relation to the overall expenditure by the industry in research, I can assure you that I will be encouraging all parties involved to maximise expenditure on all areas of vital research.
