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

Coillte appears to be the flavour of the day. On the Deputy's question of whether Coillte will continue to manage all of the State's 11 forest parks and 150 recreational sites, the short answer is "Yes." I cannot make a long-term prediction in terms of the business model under which Coillte operates, but there is no intention on the part of the Government or my Department to move responsibility for the recreational management of vast forest estates from Coillte to another body. That is the current position. If at some stage in the future this changes because of policy on how we manage Coillte as an asset and semi-State company in conjunction with others, we will give due consideration to the matter. As of today, there is no plan to remove responsibility for the management of recreational sites or forest parks from Coillte. Coillte does a really good job in this area, particularly in recent years, through its opening up of considerable lands to walkways, cycle trails, wildlife, biodiversity and so on. It takes its responsibility in terms of environmental and ecological management seriously. Our considerations in regard to Coillte relate to the sale of commercial timber which will be felled in the future for financial return. That is what is being looked at. In that context, we are seeking to protect the amenity and access value of parkland and mature forest which will never be felled.

See this speech in context