Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 November 2004
8 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she intends to make publicly available the audit of forestry and afforestation measures (details supplied) signed off in October 2004 by the European Court of Auditors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29378/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring 2002 and 2003, the European Court of Auditors carried out audits in a number of member states, including Ireland, in respect of forestry and afforestation measures co-financed under Regulation 1257/1999. The court of auditors is responsible for the publication of reports deriving from such audits and we are awaiting the report.
I asked whether the Minister of State intended to make the audit publicly available and he replied that he was awaiting the audit. That is not an appropriate answer to the question. The court of auditors signed off on the audit in October and, notwithstanding difficulties with the postal system, there should have been some sign of the report by November. The audit will be important in making an assessment. Will the audit reveal whether compensation will be in line with previous land use or whether the beneficiaries must have farmed the land before planting forests and whether the afforestation is being carried out on a sustainable basis? Were the auditors satisfied the Government's forestry policy demonstrated the appropriate balance between the economic, social and environmental elements required for sustainable forestry? If an assessment is to be made, we need to see the audit. Will the Minister of State make the audit available?
Audit missions were carried out in Ireland between 11 November and 15 November 2002 and between 7 April and 11 April 2003. The first mission concentrated on an analysis of management systems and the second on walk through tests and on-the-spot visits to a selection of beneficiaries. We are awaiting the report and it will be fully reviewed by the Forest Service when the Department receives it. We will not have a problem making it public at that stage.
I am glad the Minister of State will not have a problem doing so. When does he expect to make the report public? The Department claimed at a meeting of the environment co-ordinating committee on 12 October that the broadleaf component of conifer plantations was under-recorded and, consequently, the Department adjusted the broadleaf planting rate upwards. In the meantime, we can only jump to conclusions because the audit has not been published and that is not fair. Will the audit be published soon, given that it was signed off in October?
We will not jump to conclusions before we receive the report but we will ask for the report to be made available as quickly as possible.
