Mr. Gerry Britchfield:

We would love to be involved in afforestation if we could afford it but we cannot, so we have been focussing on reforestation. With regard to job creation, members have indicated that trees are just the start. We have been entrusted with the stewardship of two valuable assets; one is the fibre, or the forest, and the other is the land. We see it as our responsibility to the shareholder - the State - to ensure we get a return on both of those. We do not apologise for trying to get value for the State from elements like wind farm development, as that is playing straight to Government policy. That indicates that 40% of electricity generation in Ireland by 2020 should come from renewables, and primarily wind. We are trying to play our part in delivering that Government objective by using the land we have been entrusted with. Through those vehicles we are creating jobs, and we are also doing so in our panels business. We have had to reduce our workforce during the downturn, which is not unusual in the context of other businesses that have faced extremely difficult market environments. Our businesses are totally exposed to the construction sector and we have had to face that reality by reducing costs.

We were asked a question about poles. I cannot claim to have total knowledge of the matter but in the past the ESB sought Douglas fir poles and we do not availability of Douglas fir poles today. We had provided poles to the ESB and the telecoms company in the 1990s as a key supplier but we do not now have what they are looking for. I admit I am slightly shaky ground as I do not know enough about the subject. I think the issue is down to the species, and the company is seeking Douglas fir.