Donie Cassidy (Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress on tree plantings; the value of the forestry sector; and the number of jobs involved. [6867/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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New planting over the last number of years has averaged out at approximately 14,000 hectares per annum. The outturn for 2004 is estimated to be in the region of 11,000 hectares. This year, I am making sufficient funding available to increase the level of planting to 15,000 hectares. Achieving this target is of course dependent on demand materialising from land-owners, principally farmers. However, given the unprecedented concessions on stacking which were won by Ireland in the CAP negotiations, I am hopeful that many farmers will see that forestry has a valuable role to play in their future.

The most recent estimate of the total turnover of the forestry sector, as published in A Review and Appraisal of Ireland's Forestry Development Strategy by economic consultants, Peter Bacon & Associates, is €763 million in 2002. In terms of direct payments to those who have planted and maintain plantations, the expenditure in 2004 was some €100 million.

The same report has estimated that 16,175 people in the Irish economy are directly engaged in growing and using forest products or are engaged in related sectors.