Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for waiting. It is a long day and I appreciate that the Chair has allowed non-members of the committee to ask these questions. I have been listening to a lot of this debate and the Minister told us earlier he has known for a long time about Coillte's plans. When we look at what Ms Hurley said before Christmas at this committee, she was clear that Coillte was talking about a €2 billion fund, 100,000 ha of forestry and two investment funds. That is the strategy she spoke about.

The Minister told us he provides leadership and oversight, so my first question to him is as follows. The Minister signed a letter of expectation last June, enabling Coillte to do whatever deals it wanted to do. What due diligence was put in place to ensure Coillte's decisions were in line with Government policy? The Minister has emphasised that this is only 1% of forestry land in Ireland, but what we are really talking about is 100,000 ha of forestry, which in old money is 250,000 acres. That kind of land use change has massive implications nationally, and even greater implications regionally. We are talking about something substantial. When the Minister signed that letter of expectation, what due diligence took place to ensure Coillte's actions would comply with Government policy?