Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

The selling off of State assets is a grave mistake on the part of the Government. At a time when the Irish people need job security and the public needs a belief that the Government is fighting to protect people's jobs, the Government decides it is time to rid itself of some of our finest resources.

Irish forestry is just one area where there is much potential to develop jobs. This State has one of the lowest levels of forest coverage in Europe and it is an industry that could provide long-term sustainable jobs if the Government was willing to support its development and exploitation. Growing trees is a renewable resource. Timber and wood products are increasingly being specified ahead of other less environmentally friendly materials. Wood biomass is a renewable source of carbon neutral, green energy that can readily displace some of Ireland's 90% reliance on imported fossil fuels. Has any attempt ever been made to quantify the true job potential in wood processing?

It is not just in the planting and felling of trees that jobs can be created. Coillte has an open forest policy, which allows the public access to its forests. This has the potential to develop the tourism sector, aided by the natural beauty of the countryside. If the Government sells off the harvesting rights of these forests, can it guarantee that the public will be allowed to walk through those forests, as they can at the moment?

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