Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2017
1033. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of all Coillte-owned sites in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the previous occasion on which investment took place at these sites; the amount of investment in these sites since 2010, in tabular form; his plans to invest in these sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13140/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCoillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management and development of their lands, are the responsibility of the company.
Coillte advise that the company owns 225 properties with over c. 10,000 hectares in the Cavan/Monaghan area. I understand there is both ongoing investment in relation to the management of these properties and also specific investment in relation to the development of forest recreational facilities, with all such investment being operational matters for the company.
Coillte has, however, advised that there has been almost €1.7 million spent between 2010 and 2017 on recreational development and maintenance works in Coillte owned sites in Monaghan and Cavan. The company advised that almost €0.8 million has been spent by their Forestry Division on general maintenance and specific developments and add that a further €0.9 million was invested by Cavan County Council in the Burren project specifically in developing an interpretative centre and associated works including car park and trails.
Coillte advise that the areas that accounted for the majority of the expenditure include:
- The Burren, as already outlined, which relates to the development of an interpretative centre and associated works including car park and trails;
- Killykeen Forest Park which relates to the installation of a new multi-access trail, new cycling trails and signage;
- Dún a Rí Forest Park which relates to trail upgrading, car-park repair and new signage, and
- Rossmore Forest Park which relates to general maintenance across the various facilities.
Coillte also advised that some €250,000 was invested in their telecoms business in the region prior to the sale of that business in 2015.
As regards ongoing investment, Coillte advise that the company has carried out improvements on the 225 forestry properties in the Cavan-Monaghan area since 2010, in relation to which Coillte will send the details directly to the Deputy when the data are compiled.
