Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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That is a very pertinent point. The review of the forestry sector and the consideration of the potential sale of the harvesting rights are two different but entangled pieces of work that are being done. We hope this committee offers a public forum for people to articulate the concerns. It seems to be a fairly unanimous opinion that people are opposed to giving away what was being investigated. That is not to say there are not equally concerns that something needs to be done by way of reform. In our exercise we hope the committee can receive contributions that will help to inform consideration of a reformed Coillte. Should it be a semi-State organisation? Should it be commercial or should it just have overall management of the forest estate? I cannot predict what options we might come up with. There is certainly a body of work to be done and this committee can play a central role in that.

We chose this time for this because we were told in November that the Goodbody report was to be completed and forwarded to the steering group for consideration in the first or second quarter and it would take to the end of the second quarter before there would be any recommendation. We get the sense that something might go to Cabinet. There is speculation that there has been a change of heart - maybe there was never a heart in it - or a change of direction. If that is the case we then need to consider what the alternative is. That should be our focus. We definitely need some reform and Coillte is important in that.