John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I get the impression that the Minister is not jumping over the moon about selling Coillte. The timber industry is very important for the saw milling sector but I am sure he will accept that the 18 million people who visit Coillte forests every year are also important in terms of recreation and environmental matters. Does he agree that the proposal to sell the forest assets owned by Coillte presents a serious threat to the use of forests by the people? It is an issue about which we are all concerned and I have received a considerable number of e-mails from groups which use Coillte forests for recreation and environmental matters.

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