Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)

As I have only four minutes, I wish to speak specifically about Coillte. I listened to the Minister's statement with great interest. While I accept no decision has yet been made, it seems the ground is being set for a sale of the logging and timber rights. I understand the reason for the sale of State assets in these difficult times and how the money raised from their sale could potentially be used to reinvest to create jobs. I do not have time to discuss the economic reasons for selling logging rights, but I will discuss another aspect of the issue, one to which the Minister did not refer. Last night it was made clear to the House how important access to turf was for hundreds of thousands of people in the midlands. As a Wexford man, the Minister knows County Wicklow well and I have no doubt he drives up and down the M11 several times a week.

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