Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this matter to be raised. I was born more than 40 years ago in Dundrum in south Dublin and grew up there. Every Sunday afternoon, to rescue my poor mother from myself and my brothers and sisters, my father brought us to walk on Ticknock mountain. I grew up with the trees on that hill. I was seven or eight years of age when we started walking, and was roughly the same height as the trees at that time. As I grew up — unfortunately I now grow more out than up — I saw the trees growing up and out to a similar, if not larger, width.

As a representative of a constituency in south Dublin, there is no doubt in my mind that one of the greatest benefits and attractions of living in south Dublin, particularly near the hills, is that we have that wonderful resource where one can go for a cycle or a walk and escape. It is still only five, ten or 15 minutes away from most of the houses in my constituency. We must protect that valuable asset.

It was with shock that, when I was recently back up on Ticknock going for a Sunday afternoon walk with my young children, I realised the forest with which I had grown up was being clear felled. It is quite a shock for anyone who grew up with a forest to go to the mountain or landscape and see it as the scene of barren devastation. Every single tree in an approximately ten-acre site was cut down. Nothing but stumps were left, with topped and tailed trees on the ground. To me, it is a tragedy that must be stopped. I call on the Minister of State at the Department with responsibility for forestry to take action, make direct contact with Coillte and stop the practice until the concept is discussed with local politicians.

Viewing the forests from Coillte's timber industry perspective, it may be time to cut down those trees. It is standard operating procedure that 45 year old trees are sent for milling. The value of those forests as a recreational resource far exceeds the value which accrues from it as simple timber. Similar special status applies to forest parks across south Dublin, parts of Wicklow and forests close to Galway and Cork. In Ticknock, approximately 30 acres of forestry is due to be cut down. Ten acres have been taken out so far and another 20 acres are awaiting clear felling pending the building of a road. The ten acres taken would provide approximately 6,000 cubic metres of timber for the building industry, with a sale value of approximately €500,000.

There is no way that compensates for the loss of value for the thousands of people who go to that forest park every year to walk through the woods, cycle, horse ride and use it in a multitude of ways. Coillte must be supported by the Department in recognising that such forest parks so close to cities have a recreational value as well as a timber value. I urge the Department to consider providing compensation directly to Coillte, as it is a commercial company, in recognising that if it is not to take the lumber from those forests it must get some value instead. That is a role which the Minister of State's Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance and local authorities, should take on board. I ask that the Minister of State's Department enter into immediate negotiations with Coillte in that regard and put a stop to the clear felling until that issue is sorted out.

As a public representative for the area I engaged in a process two or three years ago, with local authorities and Coillte, in an effort to get a joint co-operative approach to how those forests would be developed, recognising that it is not just the responsibility of Coillte to develop them. It requires the local authority to have a role. I regret that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Council did not at the time pursue such a line, and it indicated this was because of budgetary reasons. I regret that the council is taking a line solely concentrating on the legal right to access to the forests. That is not a sufficient approach.

We must take a holistic approach, recognising that these forests close to urban areas — in particular these forests in south Dublin but there are possibly other forests in similar circumstances — have a significant recreational value. It makes no sense to take all the trees out in clear felling. It makes much more sense for the Department to recognise their value and support Coillte in an alternative ecological approach to the parks.

Mary Wallace (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Eamon Ryan for raising this matter. As the Deputy is aware, Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company. Clear felling is an operational matter for the company and my Department is involved in this issue in so far as it is responsible for the issue of felling licences under the Forestry Act 1946.

Ticknock forest comprises 148 hectares in total. Coillte has developed a forest management plan for the management of this area, which involves the harvesting and replanting of areas as they mature. This management plan has been the subject of consultation with the local community at a public meeting and on an individual basis following any inquiries regarding the plan. Some 16 hectares are being harvested and a felling licence was issued. As part of the licence application, Coillte consulted all the statutory bodies.

The felling operation is not interfering with the public's use of Ticknock forest except in the immediate vicinity of the harvesting operation where access is restricted for health and safety reasons. I assure the Deputy that the area will be replanted in the spring of 2007. I thank the Deputy for his support of the recreational policies in the forest. I hope today's children will have the opportunity and joy that the Deputy experienced when they watch the trees grow over the next 40 years.

It is important to state that the felling licence was granted following inspection and approval by the forest inspectorate and following consultation with the relevant environmental bodies such as the national parks and wildlife service, fisheries boards and county councils. Under the conditions of the licence, Coillte is obliged to replant trees on any land cleared within 12 months of expiry of the licence in accordance with the general practice of good forestry. Furthermore, as part of the conditions of the licence, all felling and planting operations must be carried out in accordance with the code of best forest practice and the national forest standard published by my Department and operations must also comply with landscape and environmental guidelines laid down by my Department.

The Act establishing Coillte requires it "to carry on the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis and in accordance with efficient silvicultural practices". However, Coillte is also highly aware of the value of forestry as a recreational amenity and its role in this regard. As recently as last year, Coillte produced a revised and updated position of its role and policy on recreation following extensive consultation with more than 170 organisations. This policy is contained in its publication Recreation Policy — Healthy Forests, Healthy Nation, which the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan was pleased to launch last September.

Coillte has 11 forests parks, most of which provide facilities such as toilets, parking, picnic sites, playgrounds for children, and a shop or restaurant on a seasonal basis. Coillte also has 150 recreation sites, including Ticknock forest, most of which provide basic facilities such as parking, picnic sites and walking trails. I thank the Deputy for his support for recreational policy relating to forests and thank him for raising the matter. I hope this clarifies the issue.