Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The article on Sunday said the Minister was pulling back from the sale of the harvesting rights. Fianna Fáil met the troika on Friday and it said in the second memorandum that was negotiated, it was clarified that the sale of State assets is entirely a matter for the Government. The first memorandum only talked about a review of the situation but stated that it was entirely up to the Government to decide what assets to sell, if it wanted to sell them. I would like clarification on whether it is Government policy to proceed with the sale of the harvesting rights of State forests to private companies. That has wider implications than we might think, given what we have read from the sources close to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who seem to be endeavouring to pour cold water on the idea. Clarity is urgently required on the Government's priorities in that regard because many people are concerned about this, including those who use the forests for recreational, sporting and outdoor pursuits who feel their rights will be traversed. If this proceeds, the economic dimension has not been fully fleshed out and the environment damage remains unquantified. The State forestry is one of the most important climate change abatement instruments we have.

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