Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Coillte's overall ambition is in support of the Government's ambition. The Government's ambition is to deliver 450,000 ha of forestry by 2050, which Coillte is looking to support. In putting together the strategic vision, Coillte outlined that to make that happen, it was looking at a number of options, planning and public land being a significant part of that.

It is also looking at potential investment partnerships to enable it to do that too. That was widely commented on in the media when it published its strategy back in April. Again, it would have informed the Oireachtas with briefings. The letter of expectation in the middle of the summer would have asked Coillte to make its contribution in terms of managing existing forests but also look at the potential for new forestry and explore options as to how it would do that. It then stepped that out.