Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

——the Deputy opposite.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The State has made a substantial investment in forestry over the last number of years and I recognise the need to manage the forest resource it has funded. Given the many calls on the funding available, my officials are assessing how available resources can best be employed to meet the demands of industry.

The Government has allocated €128 million to the forestry subhead for 2009. The allocation demonstrates the commitment of the Government to a strong future for forestry in Ireland and will allow for the operation of forestry schemes next year. However, much of the allocation for 2009 is already committed and the scope for new forestry schemes, or enhancements to existing ones, is limited.

My officials recently briefed the stakeholders in the forestry sector on the financial position for 2009 and the need for the prioritisation of programme expenditure. The stakeholders highlighted the areas of forestry activity where they believed that resources would best be employed and this will assist my Department in its examination of spending priorities.

Demand within the forestry sector for the introduction of a scheme for tending and first thinnings of broadleafs has been highlighted. Unfortunately demand for all the forestry support schemes was quite high this year, relative to the funds available and it was not possible, therefore, to launch this scheme as originally intended.

The overall forestry situation is currently being reviewed in the light of the allocation under the 2009 budget to ensure the available funds are put to best use. The allocation of funding to specific schemes will be on a basis of strict prioritisation of programmes in order to maximise the benefits for all the stakeholders within the forest industry.

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