Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy will understand it is an extremely difficult trading area for any company at this time, and Coillte is no different from any other company. It had a difficult year last year, as did many other companies in the country. There is a business focus to what it is trying to achieve. I would again point out to the Deputy that the interdepartmental group, with Coillte representation dealing exclusively with its functions and operations, is currently sitting and we hope to have a report on that later in the year. At that time we will lay the report before the Houses and the Deputy can repeat his comments at that stage but Coillte has a responsibility. There are opportunities. I see opportunities from the point of view of job creation, investment and a return to the Government and therefore I will support, as best I can, the opportunities that Coillte and the Department will identify to advance those particular opportunities.

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