Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not know where Deputy Boyd Barrett is getting his figures. I will go back and check it with COFORD. As far as I am concerned, we have 11% cover in the country. Our target is to get to 18%. Let us consider the facts and figures behind the specifics in Roscommon and in Leitrim in particular. Last year, 82% of all plantations were undertaken by private owners. No companies were investing. There are reasons behind that, although that is not something I want to get into today. There is extensive misinformation. However, I will invite anyone to my part of the world to see the positive impact on the local economy that forestation has had. We have 17.7% cover, the highest in the country.

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