Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the statement made yesterday in the Dáil by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, with regard to Coillte. He said yesterday that he thought he could also speak for his colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, in that they were probably agreed that the mooted privatisation of Coillte looked more unlikely every day. We have had a number of debates in this House on Coillte. IMPACT commissioned Peter Bacon to do a report on the viability of the future retention of Coillte in State ownership and it proved conclusively that the proper economic thing to do was to retain Coillte, retain the 445,000 hectares of forestry under the control of Coillte, retain the 1,800 staff that are in work directly related to forestry, with €90 million in salaries on an annual basis. Yesterday's decision was a good decision and I hope it will be followed through.

I commend Senator Cullinane on his initiative in inviting staff and union representatives from Waterford Crystal to the AV room this afternoon. I come from Carrick-on-Suir and am aware of many employees of Waterford Crystal who lost their jobs and subsequently lost most of their pensions. That matter needs to be addressed by the Government as soon as possible. I look forward to the briefing this afternoon.

Yesterday was a good day for the south east, with the announcement by Glanbia of a new factory for milk production, which will create a couple of hundred jobs across the south east and improve the lot of the agricultural community across the country. This good news is much needed in the south east. The Leader may have an issue with regard to whether the new factory can be said to be in Waterford or Kilkenny, but we will get over that.

Finally, I welcome the students from Scoil Mhuire, Carrick-on-Suir, and their teachers, and I hope they enjoy their morning.