Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an issue relating Coillte and its forest-farm partnerships. People who tuned in to "Morning Ireland" today heard a litany of stories and complaints. The programme included a special interview and investigation carried out by George Lee, who is part of RTÉ's news staff. We heard about a range of disappointments for farmers and people involved in the forest-farm partnership scheme who have not received their payments and who have had no communication from Coillte, the State's forestry board.My concern, which I have raised on a number of occasions in the House, is the issue of Coillte. Coillte is the State forestry company. It is a State company and its shareholding is vested in the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. They have complete and utter control over this State agency. It is important we have a detailed and comprehensive debate about Irish forestry. While Coillte owns a very substantial land bank across the country, it also attempts and promises to work in partnership with small farm holdings and people who wish to get into the forestry sector. A lot of people changed their land over to forestry with expectations in the short term, medium term and long term. There is a long-term gain and it is a long-term enterprise. They have been let down.

The chief executive of Coillte was on RTÉ this morning and explained there were shortcomings, which was a credit to him. He accepted there were shortcomings and that he would attempt to do something. I am renewing my call to the Leader because I have asked him twice before. I would appreciate if Deputy Andrew Doyle, the Minister of State with special responsibility for forestry and horticulture, would come to the House and give us a focused overview of the role of Coillte, particularly dealing with the issue of farm partnerships. It is an important issue going forward and an important issue for us to debate to see if some resolution can be found for the people we heard about this morning on "Morning Ireland".