Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's question concerns the current position with regard to Coillte. Deputies will know that the Government made a decision in principle to move ahead with preparing for and investigating the possibility of a sale of Coillte forests. Essentially this involves selling the harvesting rights to commercial Coillte forests and the investigative and preparatory process is under way. Work is ongoing between Coillte, NewEra - which is managing this process - and my Department. Consultants have also been brought in to do specific work around valuations and managing how the sales process may proceed, with the aim of maximising the value to the State, if value is to be found, as well as taking account of the other sectors that may be impacted by such a sale, such as the sawmill sector and timber supply generally, which is totally dominated by Coillte at the moment. This is a very complex process which we are in the middle of at the moment but I assure Deputies that the Government will act with caution. We will not do anything that will undermine or significantly damage the timber or sawmill sectors in Ireland. Effectively, we have a monopoly in Coillte at the moment. Most sawmills take more than 80% of their timber from Coillte forests. If we proceed with this, we will do so with caution to try to protect other sectors that will be affected by any sale, while at the same time trying to maximise value for the State.

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