Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

The question asked about the criteria used by the Minister in proceeding with the sell-off. Why did he think it unnecessary to examine fully each State asset in terms of the social, economic and environmental value? I refer in particular to public forests, which could be managed in a way that is of enormous benefit to citizens in this country. I ask the Minister to comment on why we have 11,000 people employed in forestry when a country half our size, Switzerland, has 120,000 people employed in forestry. Why is he not analysing our State assets in this way?

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