Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is lovely but it does not tell us very much. Why is there a shortfall from 3.024 million cu. m to 2.3 million cu. m? A forecast done in December 2011 for 2012 should be more correct than this. Why was the volume available to the sawmills short while the volume of pulp sales was higher than forecast? Is Coillte protecting supplies to its own board mills? Is it possible that what is known as pulp within the forestry industry can be made available at commercial rates to the sawmillers and no longer can be directed exclusively to Coillte board plants? Do the witnesses agree there would be a better return to the State if this product were transacted on an open and transparent basis whereby all processors of our forestry, including Coillte, would have to bid for it rather than the current situation whereby Coillte directs pulp to its board plants without any cost to it? Are the witnesses aware that at a recent forestry industry event held in the UK, an oriented strand board manufacturer, whose name I will not mention, asked participants to sign a petition requesting pulp from Irish forests be made available to all in the industry and not just to Coillte's boards plants? European awards were mentioned. Will witnesses assure us there is no conflict with EU competition directives with regard to Coillte having sole use of this product?

Has Coillte sold immature forests in 2012 to boost present day figures to the detriment of future returns? The chief executive review states Coillte completed a major restructuring of its forest divisions making it more responsive to its customer needs and helping it reduce costs. Will the witnesses quantify the cost reduction? Earlier the witnesses spoke about laying off staff. Coillte is an industrial organisation so why are 54% of the staff classed as non-industrial? There are 521 non-industrial staff and 431 industrial staff. Are the trees chopped down in offices?

Natural heritage and other such protected areas were mentioned. It has come to my attention that many private foresters and landowners are dealing with the situation whereby they grew forestry and find it is within a natural heritage area and they cannot do anything with it. To what extent has Coillte been affected by this? I look forward to hearing the witnesses respond.