Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 521: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide details of the €142 million in fixed assets he has sold in the past eight years. [9489/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to a statement in the report of the review group on State assets and liabilities about the profit on the sale by Coillte of fixed assets over the last eight years.

Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as land transactions, are the responsibility of the company.

Under Section 14 of the Forestry Act 1988, Coillte is required to submit, and obtain my agreement on, an annual programme for the sale and acquisition of land and the sale of timber, whether standing or felled. In relation to the sale of land, an estimate is provided in the programme as to the area of land which the company may sell in the particular year. The land transactions, which arise in a given year, are then the responsibility of the company. As previously advised to the Deputy, I understand that the properties sold are those considered by the company not to be of strategic importance to the company's forestry business.