Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amount of forestry and land under Coillte's control that has been sold since 1989; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6300/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that, since its establishment in 1989, Coillte has sold approximately 15,700 hectares of land, of which circa 6,000 hectares were afforested. Of the total sold, some 3,400 hectares were sold to State Bodies (e.g. E.S.B, County Councils, O.P.W and local development groups). I understand that the properties sold are those considered by the company not to be of strategic importance to the company's forestry business. As advised to the Deputy last week, Coillte has also sold, since its establishment in 1989, approximately 11,500 hectares of immature forests to forestry investment funds. In these sales, the sale agreements confer rights on the purchaser to harvest timber at maturity while Coillte retains ownership of the land, carbon rights and other assets.