Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Coillte representatives for their presentations. With all the talk about climate change and the challenges we have to meet, forestry has never had as important a part to play in our economy. Forestry as part of the agriculture landscape has a significant role to play and we have to develop this in a sustainable manner. I have been on this committee for a number of years now. I have rarely got as many phone calls to ask questions as I did ahead of today's meeting with the representatives from Coillte. I have a good few questions to ask.

As regards felling licences, thinning licences and getting permission to plant, is Coillte experiencing any difficulty at the moment? Has it work ahead for its workers and the contracts it has with various mills? Is Coillte under pressure as regards meeting its obligations with various mills around the country? I have had private operators on to me constantly in the last couple of months who are reaching crisis point at this stage. I heard from a contractor this morning who has 20 people employed and he says that on Friday he is going to have to let them go because there is no work in front of them. He has very significant repayments on machinery, although I am not going to go into his personal details here.

I would just like to know what is Coillte's view on that aspect of the business. Continuity of supply is imperative, but the personnel who are employed in forestry all have expertise in their own areas. If Coillte has to let individual employees to, that will have a serious impact on its ability to deliver. I am informed that when land is clear-felled, there is a huge reluctance on the part of landowners to replant and that a lot of this land is finding its way into the hands of pension funds and foreign investment companies. What acreage has been clear-felled this year? Have any approaches or advances been made to Coillte to purchase that land? The Save Leitrim Group has been in contact and it maintains that a significant proportion of land that was clear-felled in the county in the past two or three years has ended up in the hands of investment companies and pension funds. I do not like that concept. I would rather see the land remain in the hands of landowners. If they did want to sell for whatever reason, however, I would like to see an Irish company gaining control of such land. Could Coillte elaborate on whether there have been approaches made to it in respect of land?

On planting guidelines, Coillte give figures there about the amount of Sitka spruce that it has planted. From memory, the company has indicated that 51% of its-----