Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

At the weekend, a national newspaper indicated that it had heard from some source in the Government that a merger was being considered between Bord na Móna and Coillte. We obviously have the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, saying the sale of Coillte will not go ahead, while the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, says it is being considered. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, then claims it is due to be sold under the troika arrangement. Will the Taoiseach give us clarity on the matter, particularly given that there will be people protesting against the planned sale of Coillte’s harvesting rights outside Leinster House today? Is there any message I can pass on to members of the public concerned about this plan as to when legislation will be brought forward? When will we have clarity from the Government on its intentions for Ireland’s public forests?

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