Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if a national forestry inventory programme will be carried out in 2010; if so, if he will state the number of persons who will be employed on same; if new employment will be created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18656/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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In 2007, the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food completed a National Forest Inventory in Ireland. This inventory involved a detailed field survey of Ireland's forests and woodlands. The purpose of the National Forest Inventory is to record and assess the composition and condition of the entire forest estate, both public and private, at national level.

To facilitate the collection of this information the Department recruited professional foresters and the field data collection was completed in November 2006. Data processing and analyses were then undertaken and completed in November 2007. The next stage of the inventory is due to commence shortly and will revisit the same locations to assess changes in the forest estate when compared to the first stage. It is intended to recruit four to six professional foresters on contract to undertake field data collection under the next phase of the National Inventory.